Here Forevermore
by Wacko the Sane
Summary: Hermione arrives at Hogwarts in her 6th year with her mind all jumbled up does she really feel something for her Potions teacher? Severus Snape has been spying for the Order all summer, but when he returns does realise his new feelings? AU after HBP
1. Beginning With Ending

**A/N: So I'm gonna try out a SSHG fic. Well seeing as I'm staff of a C2 thing with that purpose I ought to make some contribution. I am bad though; trying to write 4 stories within 3 weeks of my first published one. Oh well, might just mean you'll have to wait a bit for the next instalment... **

**Beginning with Ending**

A loud hiss of steam erupted from the mouth of a scarlet train engine. The Hogwarts Express puffed into Platform 9 ¾ where an expectant crowd of students emerged from the carriages, eager for the long summer holiday. But a few students didn't look so pleased to be back in the Muggle world; Harry Potter prepared himself again for the utter awfulness that was the Dursley family. But his friend Hermione Granger wasn't unhappy because of the lack of homework or exams – normally something she missed during the summer; but for something quite different, something she would never dare let her parents find out about, something she would have to wait weeks for until she regained it.

* * *

_(the previous September)_

Harry, Ron and Hermione boarded the train together at King's Cross Station, after finding an empty compartment they spent the journey discussing the goings on at the Order of the Phoenix that summer. Of how the Death Eaters had cornered and killed a group of 17 Ministry of Magic employees, and of the brave last battle of Alastor Moody. None of them yet knew what the next year would bring, but they weren't very optimistic.

"Who knows what'll happen now. I mean with Moody gone and the Dementors working with the Death Eaters; c'mon, this 'cease-fire' won't last much longer." Ron gazed miserably out the window, to where the faint grey peaks of the distant mountains were just visible, to where Hogwarts Castle was nestled comfortably in the misty valley.

The chilly September day was quickly turning to evening, the sun washed the blood of those innocent dead across the clouds, whilst above the sky filled with stars, like pinpricks of hope amongst the tumult of despair. The three of them changed into their uniform, pulling their cloaks tightly around themselves, for even within the warm of the train they still felt the chill of a premature winter. Huddled together they didn't speak much for most of the journey, but inside they were anything but quiet.

Hermione's head was squirming with so many conflicting emotions, she thought she was past the temperamental teenage period, but obviously not. Viktor hadn't written to her all summer, even though she'd sent him at least four owls, she was beginning to wonder whether a long-distance relationship could really work; she'd been loyal, but how could she be sure about him. Perhaps it was time to move on... yes, this year I'll find a new boyfriend... but I should really tell Viktor first... but he hasn't written to me... ugh, why do I have to have such a complicated life?

Severus Snape had spent the summer conducting low profile, highly confidential mission spying for the Order of the Phoenix, he never particularly enjoyed the actual spying of course but the thrill of finding out vital information and not getting hurt was always a thrill, even now, after nearly 18 years. Today however he was not happy (which he never really was anyway) because the students were returning to school, he liked to be able to prowl the corridors and dungeons in secrecy; without stumbling across a pupil on every corner. It was also his birthday, of course no-one had made any sign of recognising this, even Dumbledore. Why the school had to come back on the 31st August rather than the 1st September was beyond him, apparently something to do with wanting equal term lengths. But whatever anyone said it had ruined his birthday even more when he saw his first lesson – double potions with 6th years, a class full of the students he most hated: Potter (arrogant prat's son), Weasley (idiotic red-head), Granger (insufferable-know-it-all) and of course Malfoy. That bastard with his bastard father, how Dumbledore excepted him to be _nice_ to this piece of shit for _another_ year was not something he wanted to think about.

Candles suspended in the air around the tables provided a cheery contrast to the thunderous ceiling. The students were all stuffing their faces with warm delicious food, the first-years were nervously sneaking looks up at the staff table where Dumbledore sat bathed in robes like the night sky. He radiated with beams of light from the twinkling stars, and from his twinkling eyes as he fondly peered over his half-moon glasses at the pupils. He had already given them his usual speech after the sorting, but it had been a solemn one, perhaps now he should lighten the atmosphere a little.

"Hem, hem," every student who had been there last year turned their heads, startled at the uncanny impression of Dolores Umbridge. Dumbledore chuckled quietly to himself. "Now your stomachs have been sufficiently filled I think it is time I told you about the special occasion today."

"Sp'cial occ'sion, yeah right, "Ron gulped down the last of his rhubarb crumble, "I bet it's the anniversary of some battle or something."

"Today is the birthday of our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher; Professor Snape. So let us sing him Happy Birthday." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled mischievously, Snape's eyes widened and he hunched his shoulders up around him, pretending he hadn't noticed that every pair of eyes in the Hall were upon him. He groaned as they all began to sing, well the Slytherins, some of the teachers, and Hermione Granger at least.

"Hermione! Why are you singing?"

"Well no-one else is, anyway I bet no-one ever remembers his birthday, I'm sure somewhere... very deep down he's a nice person..."

"Hermione, you do realise we're all doing DADA _and_ Potions for NEWTs, we're gonna have him basically every day!"

"Ron, Hermione, um... we need to kind of go now."

"Oh, yeah, right." As Harry, Ron and Hermione walked past the staff table Hermione lifted her face a little until her eyes met Snape's, she gave him a small, but kindly smile. Snape, surprised, watched her out of the hall, as she reached the doors she turned head back to where he was sitting, Snape quickly looked at the ceiling, but couldn't help but wonder what had just happened.

As he stalked back to his rooms he thought about Hermione. He hadn't noticed the maturity in her face before, of course he knew that she was very adult-like anyway but seeing her just now had been like seeing a woman his age staring back. He knew he was being stupid; he was twenty-six years older than her for goodness' sake, but that face, that face was something he couldn't forget.

Hermione was lying in bed, the curtains pulled all around her, the bed warm and cosy. But she couldn't sleep; ever since she had left the Great Hall she couldn't get Snape out of her mind, he had looked at her, hadn't he? When she looked back from the doorway, he had been watching her. She didn't really know what to think, she couldn't _like_ him could she? Closing her eyes, she eventually fell into a restless sleep.

On the other side of the castle the Potions Master and now Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher lay in bed tossing and turning with the torment going through his mind.

**A/N: well, that was interesting. S'pose I'll have to figure out what's gonna happen next. Any seasoned writer – how do you get your ideas? Do you write like a plot outline or something? Oh well. R&R!**


	2. Coming Up For Air

**A/N: Thank you to: Vlaire, mysticdarkraven, Nore, momsangel, bugbear1, Sensei-Ninja, spanna and The Grim for your reviews of chapter 1. I'm so sorry The Grim but I wrote this before I got your review, I'll slow it down though. Enjoy...**

**Coming Up For Air **

"Hermione, wake up! You've missed breakfast, here, we got you some toast." She sat bolt upright in her bed, Harry and Ron stood beside it looking and her worryingly. "Are you alright? You don't look like you got much sleep."

"Whhhhhhhhhh, I'm fine," Hermione stretched out, "how did you two get in here? The staircases?" Harry pulled his Firebolt from behind him and smiled. Hermione looked at the clock on her bedside table and leapt up, "my timetable! what lessons have I got next?"

"Herm! Calm down, here look, double Potions." Ron started the sentence cheerfully but his tone had changed completely by the end of the sentence.

"Oh Ron! It might not be so bad this year, I mean we _chose_ to take Potions."

"What I don't get," Harry said, "is how he's gonna teach us all DADA as well as Potions."

"He's probably got a time-turner or something Harry, think about it." Hermione sighed, how could they never see the answer?

The three of them made their way to the dungeons, they discovered Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas were the only other Griffindors taking Potions but all of Slytherin, except a small few were still there. Including Crabbe and Goyle who Hermione had been expecting to fail. Draco Malfoy stuck his fingers up as they passed through the door to a bench near the back, they brushed past Snape who was coming out of a cupboard near the end of the room. Hermione kept her head down, but she was sure Snape had looked at her.

When they were seated Snape gave them the usual beginning of term speech, about how important it was to pay attention and whatever, he had said it so many times it was like he didn't need to think about it. He thought instead of the charming, intelligent girl sitting at the back of the classroom, chewing the end of her quill, possibly the only student listening to what he was saying. He set them a preliminary task, not too simple, just to see how much they'd been thinking about Potions over the summer, not something he'd been doing. At last Dumbledore had allowed him to become Defence Against the Darks Arts teacher. Dumbledore had always told him to wait, and this year, what with Potter needing all the help he could get it was time to try and set aside this differences; much more important things were afoot.

He stalked through the rows breathing icily down their necks, he paused over Hermione, trying to overcome the tremendous urge to touch her, to feel the warmth of her glowing cheek. He muttered a colour-changing spell at her potion as she added a Jobberknoll feather. "Purple, Miss Granger? Did I not specify that it should be blue by this stage?" he muttered and swooped down to her level, their faces so close he could feel her breath on his cheek. She stared at him, searching his eyes for some glimmer of explanation, "but I did it right Sir, I did exactly what you told us to do..."

"It would seem Hermione, that you have not been sufficiently practising your potions over the summer, see me at the end of the class." He stood up and paced to the other side of the classroom.

Hermione touched her burning cheeks, put her head down and continued to work. Suddenly a thought struck her; Snape had called her _Hermione_! She'd _never_ heard him call _any_ student by their first name before, what made him say that to her, why was she Hermione now? She glanced across at Harry and Ron who were attacking each other with dried Flobberworms under the table. She sighed; they may be 16 but it didn't mean they weren't immature prats, she needed a man in her life, not some stupid boy.

The bell went and a great sigh of relief erupted from all the students not in Slytherin, Hermione made a long show of packing her bag, told Harry and Ron she'd catch them up, and made her way to Snape's desk. He was bent down looking in a drawer so Hermione ran her fingers through her hair and cleared her throat. He came up slowly, his eyes fixed intently on hers.

"Sir, that Potion was perfect, I tested it myself, it was just purple I know, but maybe someone changed it to _look_ like I'd done it wrong." She pleaded.

"How can a potion be perfect if it is the wrong colour? It could be mistaken for something quite different." Snape pulled his cloak tighter around himself. "Well Hermione, can you say it was perfect?"

"Yes, Sir, it was perfect. And why Professor do you keep calling me Hermione?" For the first time she'd ever seen his face appeared flushed, he turned away.

"Slip of the tongue I suppose..." But his face told a different story. "Hermione, I don't know how to tell you this but..." She stared up at him, her once bushy hair (she'd bought herself a pair of magical straightening irons over the summer) was swept back simply into chestnut waves, her hazel eyes sparkling. "I'm...well...rather attracted to you..."

The corners of Hermione's mouth twitched, she began to speak, but before she could, Snape's lips were on hers sensuously caressing the contours of her mouth. They could not stop themselves, their lust overpowering them they plunged even deeper into each other. When eventually they have no other choice but to come up for air, they stood, breathless, panting like dogs after a run. Neither could quite believe what had happened, and Hermione looking at her watch gasped.

"I'm so sorry, I have to go now, I should be doing library study." Snape stopped her with his hand.

"Meet me here, tonight, after dinner, don't tell anyone, steal Potter's cloak if you must." He fumbled with a chain around his neck, he turned it twice and vanished.

**A/N: I know it's short, but I ran out of ideas, will try to cover more time in the next chapter though. Well they're together now, and just so you know I have every intention of keeping this fic a PG-13. And excuse me, but Hogwarts may have 1000 students but Snape has a time turner, so QED bugbear1. Now review!**


	3. Sleep Is No Cure

**A/N: Thank you to: WhirlyBlue, Blackbeltchick (please - is this alright?), The Grim (I'm so sorry), witchintraining (how dare you!), mysticdarkraven and duj for your reviews of chapter 2. Here you go...**

**Sleep Is No Cure**

Hermione was very quiet over dinner, she kept making glances over towards the staff table so many times that Ron had to ask her what was the matter.

"Hermione – you're not going up to ask for _more_ homework are you? I mean don't you have enough?" She frowned and began to fiddle with her fork; putting food onto it and watching it fall back onto her plate. Whilst her face remained collected, her head was screaming at her.

This is so illegal. What am I doing? Me; Hermione Granger, model student; and oh did I happen to mention I snogged a teacher before lunch? Thought not. I don't know what came over me, it must be the work, getting to me already. Too much going on over the summer; too many things to deal with; too many emotions. I mean OK, he may be attractive, but he is about 22 years older than me. He was at school with Harry's parents, for God's sake; he's my TEACHER! I can't do this, I just can't, it's not allowed, I shouldn't even be _thinking_ about him in that way, what I am doing?

* * *

Over on the staff table Severus Snape was being quieter and more irritable than usual. He too was playing with his food and only lifting his eyes from his plate to look at the Griffindor table. Professor Flitwick, sitting on his left made several attempts to engage him in conversation; failing, Flitwick leant over Professor McGonagall to whisper something to Dumbledore. Who gazed intently at Snape for several seconds, his eyes sparkling and returned to his meal without replying to Flitwick, who sat back in his seat looking put off.

Snape's face remained solemn all evening, and when the hall began to empty he looked practically terrified. Dumbledore ushered him over to the door.

"Severus, are you sure there's nothing you want to tell me?" Dumbledore gazed concerned into his eyes, Snape blinked and tried to clear his mind as the world's second most powerful master of Legilimency attempted to discover his secrets.

"No Headmaster, certainly not." He swept off down the corridor, and reached the entrance to his rooms, he stopped half-way through speaking the password, remembering Hermione. His heart racing he took a deep breath.

"Quintaped." The slime covered wall in front of him swung out and he paced in.

* * *

Hermione peered down the corridor that led to the dungeons and gulped, she ran off back to the hoard of Griffindors heading for the dormitory, all full of talk of their first day. She didn't speak to anyone in the common room; but took her bag and went to do her homework upstairs in her dormitory. She lay on her bed with her fingers holding the pages of her huge Charms textbook, she felt as if she had two weights tied to her eyelids, and try as she did it was so much nicer just to give in to the temptation.

But dreams were no better, all she kept seeing was her Potion teacher's face, coming closer and closer, until she reached out in her sleep, longing to hold it, just one more time. Only to wake up finding herself pulling at her curtains, her books spread-eagled across the duvet. Then she remembered; it was real, it had happened, no matter how much she tried to ignore it, it wouldn't go away. She knew she would be expelled and he would lose his job if anyone found out, it was better just to forget it, leave it behind her. If there really was something between them, it would have to wait until she left school; she couldn't risk her education, her future for one little fling. If that was all it was. Again she slept, until she was woken by Parvati Patil.

"Hermione! Can you let the rest of us sleep in peace? Do you think you could possibly save your sexual fantasies for a private room?"

"I'm sorry?" Hermione peered up anxiously.

"Well, the terrible groans you've been making are quite disgusting you know. Would you like me to put a Silencing Charm on you?" Hermione went an incredible shade of magenta, and hastily pulled the curtains back around her.

She lay awake for the rest of the night, partly not daring to go to sleep and to be so embarrassed again, partly so mentally tormented she just couldn't. So she had a productive night, doing homework and learning some new charms under her covers with a specially conjured ball of light. She could feel the bags growing under her eyes, only a few more hours, then everything would be alright.

Hermione was just going to sleep when she heard the other girls getting up, a tiny gap in her curtains cast a beam of phosphorescence across her face, illuminating her tired eyes. She dressed slowly and went to meet Harry and Ron in the common room.

"We didn't want to risk going up there again," Ron explained.

"Hermione, are you OK? You look a bit you know, forlorn..." Harry stared at her for a few seconds, "come on; I can't wait much longer for breakfast."

The three of them descended the many flights of stairs down to the Great Hall, where Harry and Ron immediately began stuffing themselves with scrambled egg and bacon. Hermione shook her head and picked at some toast, thankfully the boys were too engrossed in their breakfast to pay her any attention. She pulled her timetable out of her bag, Transfiguration first, and she wouldn't have Potions until the last period in the afternoon. But still, it was there staring at her, Potions. Peering at it again she gasped; DADA after Transfiguration, Snape was doing that now.

* * *

Severus Snape sat in his office, Dumbledore had not been as kind as to give him the Defence Against the Dark Arts rooms as well, though he could use them to store things. He was teaching some snotty first-years Potions, but thanks to the Time-Turner he could also catch up on marking. He sipped his Energy Renewing potion and looked at the timetable on his wall; third-year Potions and sixth-year DADA. Sixth-year, now why did that make him start he wondered. Then he remembered; it was that beautiful muggle-born. Shit, he thought, she must have been in the classroom last night, when I chickened out, but I suppose she's sensible, she probably is just trying to forget it. After all if anyone had seen... we wouldn't be here now, why did I even _think_ of trying anything like that? I'm insane, she's 16, I've just got to forget this all happened. But he couldn't

The sixth-years stumbled into the classroom, rather reluctantly of course considering their teacher. Harry, Ron and Hermione were the last to enter, the boys made a dash for the two seats right at the back and made sympathetic expressions to Hermione who was forced to sit next to Susan Bones; right at the front. Snape strode in, I won't let it bother me, he insisted, if she's got any sense she'll be avoiding me. He gestured to the students to sit and went to his desk. He sat down and looked up to see who was the unlucky person straight in front of him. It was Hermione.

**A/N: I know, I know it's short, but hey, I very nearly didn't have time to write it at all. Slightly random, mostly crap, who cares?! Now I have some more ideas about where this is going. All reviews very welcome!**


	4. Betwixt Wind And Water

**A/N: Thank you to: Wolf Runner (finally), The Grim (you flatter me - and make me sound lke a freak!), SemiCharmed (forgive my typos) and witchintraining (might this cheer you up?). Thank you lovely people! **

**Betwixt Wind And Water**

Snape stared at her wide-eyed, his heart bursting against the sides of his ribcage, like a battering ram. He ignored the other students who were beginning to chat curiously amongst themselves, his eyes savoured every minute detail of her appearance; her refined, unblemished face, the soft tresses of her hair, the gentle glisten of her eyes, the temptation of her full lips. Hermione had her head down and was muttering under her breath, her wand crept out from her bag and pointed behind her. A squeal was heard from the back of the classroom; Pansy Parkinson was waddling around the room on four trotters, grunting. The class leapt up and began to cause a rumpus, shouting and screaming they ran around the classroom. Only two people stayed seated, completely unnoticed in the uproar.

The space between them tightened as he leant forward, his breath soft on her cheek, she gulped, he could smell the sweet scent of her perfume, she could hear him breathe in and out, he could see her eyes closing and their lids fluttering, he was so close she could almost taste him. A loud shriek broke them apart as Pansy Parkinson became a girl again. Snape stood up, his lips quivering.

"Get in your seats now!" he roared, "did I tell you to get up? Calm down Miss Parkinson, go and sit down."

"But Sir... what about the person who did this to me?" she stuttered, cowering under his glare.

"The person responsible will see me after the lesson," his eyes averted so that every person in the room felt he was staring directly at them.

He began the lesson. But he wasn't concentrating on what he was saying about the importance of DADA at the moment, that Dumbledore had told him to talk about. He didn't notice when he started talking about the current whereabouts of many of the Death Eaters – highly confidential information – to the surprise of the class. But fortunately a few members of the class _had_ been paying attention and inquired in an audible whisper whether he should really be talking about that. He stopped himself just in time, as Draco Malfoy was looking suspiciously at him. Hermione wasn't paying any attention either, but chewing the ends of her hair and rocking incessantly on her chair, hanging on edge for the bell.

At last the familiar chime echoed through the halls and the students burst out of the classroom trying not to think about the long essay he had just set them. As Hermione swung her bag over her shoulder and made to catch up with Harry and Ron, a hand caught her around the waist, she span around, her mouth began to form a smile before she caught herself.

"No, please, we can't." she gazed into his eyes, "we've just got to forget everything."

"How? You tell me how Hermione? I can't forget it that easily."

"Leave me alone, I can't do this. For fuck's sake, look! I'm 16, and you're...you're not! It's illegal, illegitimate, unlawful, criminal, wicked, what ever you want to call it, but it's not right!" His eyes widened, his mouth tightened.

"Then what about just now? You could have just left the whole pig thing."

"I, I don't know, it was for you; people needed a distraction whilst you regained your composure."

"Fine," he whispered urgently, "but just let me have one more, one more..." she took a deep breath stood on her tiptoes and gently kissed his cheek, she turned but he was too quick. His lips reached hers before her feet could drag her away. He delved deep into her, trying to find any part of her that would let it continue. His cheeks felt wet, he opened his eyes to see hers brimming with tears, he gently brushed them away with one hand and stroked her back with the other. She pulled away, her face awash with emotion she sped through the doorway without a glance backwards. She didn't even apologise to the figure watching them from the doorway, but by the time she was up the stairs she gasped, _there was a figure watching from the doorway_, she ran back along the empty corridor, her heart racing.

Draco Malfoy was standing in the doorway a look of pure venom and glee spread across his face, he challenged Snape as a man; not the arrogant boy he normally was. Snape was now a shivering wreck; his eyes cast downwards, his hands quivering under his robes, they both heard the running footsteps from outside and both turned.

"Back so soon Granger? Couldn't bear to keep your hands off him for long could you?" he sneered at her distraught face, "look's like someone ought to know about this doesn't it?" He made a lunge for Hermione, but Snape got there before him, she struggled under his grip.

"Don't touch her Malfoy; she doesn't need your filthy hands on her."

"Do think I'd really want to touch a Mudblood anyway? It disgusts me Professor, that of all people you chose her. Father will be interested when he hears this..." Malfoy chuckled to himself, Snape clutch Hermione tighter.

"Let go of me!" she yelled, "Malfoy, you are the most evil psychotic bastard I've ever met! I don't know who you think you are strutting around as if you call the shots but I most certainly am not impressed. Just because you don't know how to feel it doesn't mean you can take it out on other people. Besides, I don't know how much you heard back there but you must of heard enough to realise that was the end." She flung out her hand and reached for his face, unclenching her fist to reveal five talon-shaped fingernails, and before Malfoy knew what was happening he had five streaks of blood across his cheek. The three of them stared open-mouthed in horror as the blood trickled down his cheeks; a fire burning ferociously in his eyes Malfoy leapt upon her, grimacing in pain. Snape tried to pull him off but Hermione was already on the floor, her robes torn, her hair tousled, her bag and books askew, and her lips and forehead covered in blood. Malfoy cursed under his breath.

"Serves you right, you bloody slut!" He turned and pointed his finger at Snape. "You won't get away with this, I'm warning you, after I've been to Dumbledore we'll see what you feel like, and then there's Father..." Snape remained silent, but stared at him intently. He used Legilimency to find the experience Malfoy had just had and skilfully extracted it, then for extra protection he performed a Memory Charm, Malfoy stood before him looking confused.

"Now, now, Mr Malfoy, teasing poor old Mrs Norris is not a good idea, is it? You better go off to the Hospital Wing." Malfoy touched his cheek and saw the blood drop onto his fingertips, he rushed off out of the room.

Snape bent down and gently stroked Hermione's head as she lay curled up on the floor shaking with terror amidst the pools of her own blood. She whimpered and tried to get up, but unable to she sat there and began to collect her books. The two of them uttered not a word whilst she put her books back in her bag, he used a simple charm to clean her face and robes. She clambered to her feet and moved towards him.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," she whispered in his ear, he could smell the drying blood. He took out his hand and held hers tightly, he brought it up to his mouth and gently kissed it. Hermione turned and stumbled out of the door, she turned and mouthed back at him once more, "I'm so sorry." and she was gone.

The sun shone down on her through the slit windows as she passed along the corridor, she could hear lessons all over the school. But instead she walked out of the doors into the autumn sunshine and wandered down the path to Hagrid's Hut. She knocked on the door and looked up expectantly.

"It'd better be important, I haven' got much time yeh know!" Hagrid's mane of wild hair confronted her at the door. "Hermione! What d'you know? Are you alrigh'?" Hermione tried to smile.

"Oh Hagrid," she fell into his arms.

"Careful there, now come on Hermione, don' cry, s'OK. In yeh get, let's have a chat." He led her inside and sat her down with a cup of tea. "so are yeh gonna tell me abou' it?"

"Hagrid, it's just that, oh I don't feel like going to any lessons today."

"Yeh bin to see Madam Pomfrey?" Hagrid looked her up and down.

"No... I'm not ill, at least not in that sense, I don't think any medicine can do much for me. I just didn't want to go to lessons, but needed to talk, that's all."

"Is that righ'? I see, bu' a bit odd yeh not wanting to go to lessons!" he smiled kindly at her, "cheer up, eh?"

Hermione sat quietly, sipping cup after cup for at least an hour whilst they talked about the summer and goings on in the wizarding world. Until Hagrid looked at the clock on his wall.

"I'm sorry Hermione, bu' I've got a lesson in a minute, yeh OK now?" she nodded, "cours' yeh not, what you got can' be cured, I see it very easily. Yeh in love, Hermione."

**A/N: Cute isn't it? Was that slow enough, but with enough action to keep the reader enthralled? So do we think Snape was 'skilful' enough to keep Malfoy quiet? You'll have to see. Next update will be on 1st November cos I'm in Edinburgh next week, hmm, where's JK at the moment..? ;-)**


	5. Amore Fuget

**A/N: I am a freak so this title is in Latin (Fleeing from Love), well, it sounds better in latin, anyway, you wait until I publish my upcoming LOTR fic... Those of you who read chapter 4 last week may have noticed after a minor dilemma that I changed the update date for this chapter to 1 _November_. So, thanks to: witchintraining, The Grim and Saonriyu for your reviews of chapter 4.**

**Amore Fuget**

Hermione stood open mouthed looking at the closed door. Had she misheard him or had Hagrid really said... She shook her head and took a gulp of air, then wandered through the grounds, humming as she watched a pair of swallows; probably the last few left, swoop and glide overhead, she lay on the damp grass with her head back and watched them until their dizzying joy became nauseous and left her head spinning. She staggered to her feet and went back to the entrance hall.

All around her students were rushing into lunch, shouting and pushing. But she did not hear a word as they barged past her, as if she was watching a film, she began to feel dizzy again and lurched forward to be caught by Harry and Ron.

"Oh my god Hermione! What's happened to you?" Ron was staring at the mud on her back, her flyaway hair and her cut lip. "And why weren't you in Charms?"

"Oh it's nothing, don't worry about me... I just tripped over. Was Charms good? I better go and see Professor Flitwick..." Ron had already decided though that there was nothing for him to worry about and ran into the great hall to salvage what was left of the steak and kidney pie. Harry put his arm around her, Hermione leapt back in shock to find Harry being so affectionate.

"Come on, I'm sorry Ron's being such an insensitive bastard, do you want to go to the Hospital Wing?"

"I'm fine, honestly, I'll just go and put by cloak in the laundry basket... are the rest of my robes clean?" she quickly turned around and Harry nodded, "I'll catch you up in a minute, save me some lasagne."

After lunch the three of them wandered in the grounds, soaking up the last of the summer sunshine.

"Why don't we go and see Hagrid? We haven't spoken to him all term," Harry began to make for his hut.

"No! I mean, it's only been a few days hasn't it? And it's almost the end of lunch break." Hermione pulled them away and led them back inside. "What have you got next? I've got Double Arithmancy and I want to be on time; see you later." She walked off up the stairs without a look back.

"So we'll see you in Potions then?" Harry shouted after, and he could have sworn she shivered and quickened her pace, as if trying to get away from something. He watched until the hem of her robes swung around a door at the top of the stairs. "Ron, do you think she's alright?"

"Wh..?" Ron was staring open-mouthed at two Ravenclaw fifth years, he attempted a cool, genial wave but the two of them blushed and giggled as they walked down the hall.

"Ron! You have a go at your sister for going out with guys too old for her, those girls are in her year! Bloody hypocrite. Were you even listening to me?" Harry scowled.

"Sorry... but you know. Have you seen them before? Bit of a sight for sore eyes eh? Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Hermione? Do you think she's OK?"

"Seems fine to me, anyway Harry, she doesn't need a babysitter, she can look after herself."

"Oh yeh? Explain the cut lip this morning then," Harry stared Ron in the eye, "I'm just worried about her, that's all."

"Harry! Ron!" Neville Longbottom came thundering down the stairs, "you will never believe what I just heard about Malfoy!" they turned their heads and looked up at him. "Well, according to Parvati who heard it from her sister, Malfoy, is in the Hospital Wing with deep gash marks down his face, apparently he had a run-in with Mrs Norris. Can you imagine? Malfoy being beaten up by a cat?"

"Probably still smelt the ferret on him!" Harry and Ron would never forget the day when Moody (or at least his impersonator) had turned him into a ferret. "But, it could have been some ex-girlfriend," this was too much for Ron who was bent over emitting peals of raucous laughter.

"No! Mrs Norris _is_ Malfoy's girlfriend!" he spluttered.

"Grow up Ron."

Hermione could hear the dim sounds of laughter as she climbed a staircase, she had known Ron long enough to realise that it was him, but what had made him so hysterical? She passed Padma Patil in a corridor who was giving anyone who would listen her full view on Malfoy's accident, it took a while for Hermione to realise what she was talking about, as it was so farfetched. _Well, I suppose that is better than the truth_ she thought. She sighed deeply and entered the Arithmancy classroom on the fifth floor and as Professor Vector began the lesson she soon forgot her worries.

* * *

Severus Snape had had four lessons in the remaining two periods after his sixth-year DADA and he was feeling the strain. He sipped some more of his freshly made Energy Renewing potion and sighed; he was in his office sprawled across a chair. The staff room had been full of talk about Malfoy's 'accident', apparently Lucius Malfoy had asked for the case to be reviewed, though whether the Ministry would be taking orders from a Death Eater currently in Askaban was debatable. Snape had decided he much preferred the confines of his own office, where he could sit undisturbed in the gloom and mull over his emotions. He swilled the last sip of potion around in his goblet as one would do with tea, and drained it. He rose up collecting his midnight black robes around himself and walked down the hallway to his Potions classroom where a class of second-years were throwing bat wings across the room. They stopped immediately and stood behind their benches sheepishly awaiting their punishment, but were surprised when it didn't come.

Snape had come in nonchalantly and sat down at his desk, he waved his wand at the board to show the instructions for the lesson and sat in a stupor staring at the ceiling. The past few days flashed through his mind; that smile, the first kiss, seeing her face in the DADA lesson, Malfoy's gashed cheek, Hermione on the floor in tears and subconsciously he brought his hand up to dry his eyes. He didn't notice the curious students whispering as they looked up from their cauldrons. When the lesson finally finished Snape went back into his office relieved to find that he would not need to go back for another lesson, he prepared himself for the double DADA lesson he had next.

* * *

Hermione came out of Arithmancy more cheerful after just earning twenty house-points she put her books into her bag and reached down to get the things for her next lesson, it was only when she felt the slimy leather binding of her splattered Potions book that she remembered her dilemma. She stood transfixed on the stairway, should she go and try and forget, or should she skip it and avoid a reoccurrence of this morning's DADA lesson? Of course she had already missed Double Charms today and skipping three periods in one day was not what you'd expect from a model student like herself. Even so she made for the library but half-way there she met Harry and Ron.

"Hermione! You're going the wrong way, Potions next." Ron grabbed her by the arm and began to pull her towards the dungeons.

"No Ron, it's OK, I just feel a bit ill, I was going back to the common room, tell Sev...Snape for me would you?" She pulled in the other direction,

"No _Hermione, _you've already missed Charms today, come on, nothing like a good Potions lesson to cheer you up."

"Shut up Ron, if Hermione's feeling ill let her do what she wants," Harry butted in,

"But Harry, we can't have Miss-know-it-all skiving can we?"

"I am here you know!" Ron smiled curtly and led her into the Potions classroom he had pulled her to whilst they'd been arguing. "Ron! I don't wa..." Snape was already sitting at his desk.

"Come in Potter, Weasley...Granger. I believe you are already ten minutes late, and then to come in shouting, really; not behaviour I'd expect from sixth-years. Sit down! Begin the Potion on the board immediately. Do you have a problem Miss Granger? Or would you normally stand there looking like a fish?"

Hermione stood gaping in the middle of the classroom; how could he have been so malicious? Five hours ago he'd been there with his arms around her and now he was shouting at her, OK so she'd given him the boot but she hadn't realised he'd react like this.

"Fifty points taken Miss Granger, for your insolence, now sit down!" Snape roared as he towered above her. She whimpered and ran from the room. "Potter, Weasley! Get back in your seats! Now! Silence!" around him the class was shaking as the last of his shouts echoed and vibrated across the room, chasing Hermione out into the hallway. Snape sat back down, breathless with regret, how could he have lost his temper so? He clenched teeth and his fists until his knuckles whitened and he passed out.

**A/N: Randomness as usual, I didn't write it all in one sitting my moods and the music I was listening to changed, I guess that shows! Little action in this chapter as it only covers about 4 hours, is that to little a time if I'm going to get to the end of the year which I so easily presumed would happen in chapter 1?! Oh well... Now there's a little button in the left-hand corner of your screen, and it's really not too much exertion to press. :-P**


	6. Shooting Stars

**A/N: You're very lucky to have this chapter you know. Thank you: Natsuyori, Jessica, Sabrina, Artemis MoonClaw and witchintraining for your lovely reviews of the last chapter. This would have been up yesterday but there was something weird going so... Enjoy.**

**Shooting Stars**

"Professor? Professor? Are you OK?" a sea of curious faces crowded around Snape, led by Draco Malfoy. Snape took a couple of sharp breaths and then noticed he was soaking wet. His black robes were seeping and for once his pale face was flushed, Goyle was standing beside him with a dripping cauldron.

"Goyle! What have you just thrown on me?" Snape bubbled with rage, if it had been the Energy Renewing Potion the class had been making (Snape was fed up of making his own, he now delighted in watching his students slave away at an excruciatingly hard potion for his benefit) it would be fine, but this was Gregory Goyle; could he have made the right potion for once in his life? Snape was not a religious man; he had decided long ago that magic and faith could not co-exist but now he prayed out of instinct as he knew the terrible results if it _had_ been the wrong potion.

Goyle shrugged and gestured to the board where the instructions were written then joined the class as they gazed in horror at the huge buboes erupting all over their professor's skin, he groaned in pain and looked towards the door. Hermione stood there; she had heard the shouts from the corridor and now stood in the doorway, framed by the only light coming into the dungeons, giving her the aura of an angel. Snape sighed and amidst the agony he was experiencing all over his body he smiled and was at peace in his heart. The rest of the students had still only been looking at their teacher.

"Oh my God Harry, can you believe it? He's actually smiling? That is perverted." Ron pulled a face at his deteriorating teacher.

"Come on, we need to get him to the Hospital Wing..." Harry looked around him.

"_Locomotor Professor_," a voice muttered from the doorway, every single pair of eyes turned towards her as she silently escorted the unconscious Snape along the corridor followed by the awed class.

It was quite a sight for any one who happened to see them that afternoon – Hermione Granger leading with her wand directing the movements of the unconscious professor, followed by an entire class of sixth-year Potions, and not a word was uttered between them as they marched to the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey gasped at this extraordinary affair.

"Just Professor Snape and Miss Granger please," she called as they all tried to get through the door, she shut it and led Hermione to a bed. At least a dozen faces peered in the through the windows in the door. Together they lay Snape down and Madame Pomfrey began her interrogation. "What has happened then?"

"I wasn't there when it actually happened but from what I can tell someone threw a dud Energy Renewing Potion at him," Hermione looked at her feet, "Is he going to be OK?"

"We'll see, that was a particularly nasty potion after all, but I'll do my best. You can go now Miss Granger, thank you for your help."

Hermione cast one look back the now unrecognisable Snape, opened the door and walked straight past her inquisitive classmates. Harry and Ron grabbed her, "So? What's going to happen to him?"

"Oh, apparently it was a nasty potion when done wrong, she'll do her best..."

Thankfully Madame Pomfrey was an outstanding Healer and within a week Snape was able to walk around the ward - in between being force-fed disgusting medicines. He had sent Hermione an owl one morning, asking her to meet him at the entrance hall that night. He was surprised when he snuck out of the ward to find her there exactly on time.

"Are you OK?" she whispered, he took her hand in his, her first reflex to pull away but she just clasped more tightly instead. They walked out into the clear night in silence, Hermione gazed up to the stars above her head and reminded herself of what a minuscule thing she was in this amazing universe. Then she suddenly said, "Do you ever worry about Harry?"

Snape looked at her, surprised for a second, "Potter? Of course I do, I know better than anyone – possibly even Dumbledore – the horrors that could await him."

"But he just seems to deal with it so well, to take it all in his stride."

"Yes, but that's on the outside, isn't it?"

"I know, I get so worried about him though, I mean if I'm laying awake at night dreading what might happen to him, imagine what he's doing..." Hermione sighed and sniffed quietly.

Snape turned to her, "I can't promise you everything will be OK you know, because it won't, but don't make it worse for yourself, in the end it's his problem; there's only so much you can do to help him."

They walked in silence around the grounds, gazing up at the beautiful sky, shivering in the chill of the October air, but not once did their eyes meet again. They got to the door of the Hospital Wing, "You better go, Madame Pomfrey will want you back soon."

"I've still got another 10 minutes – I used the time-turner you see, she would never have let me out."

"What? But, Severus if she didn't want you to go out it will be for a good reasoon, think of what you might be doing to your health. It's all my fault, if you get ill again..."

Snape smiled at her "You're too kind Hermione, but I'm fine, honestly, it's only been for an hour. What harm could come to me in so short a time?" Hermione sighed again and they stood looking at each for what seemed like forever, until Snape broke their locked eye contact. "Goodnight Hermione." He leant forward a little and she could feel his hot breath on her face. How she wanted to just grab him and never let go, but they had agreed, it had to stop.

"Goodnight Severus," she backed away and watched him through the door, and she turned around to walk back, not noticing he was still in the doorway, watching her shaking with sobs and a tear trickled down his face.

That's it, they both thought, there's never going to be a next time, I've blown all my chances. And they both turned their heads to watch the same blazing star shoot across the same luminous moon.

**A/N: witchintraining knows the influence of this chapter, I decided it is better to lay in on someone else than to bear it oneself. I'm sorry it's so short but I was writing this at 6 this morning, so if it's a bit weird I'm sorry, but I'm really not a morning person.**


	7. Losing All The Wrong Games

**A/N: Hello! I'm a bit hyper, just went to a circus workshop with someone 'nice' sighs and blushes deeply had really great time. But anyway, like any of you care, what you care about (I hope!) is this story. We'd got that bit about the shooting star hadn't we?**

**Thank you:**

**Witchintraining - :D where are my cookies?**

**CharmedLeoLvr - I'm glad you like it, SSHG may sound odd at first, but everone knows they're just meant to be**

**mysticdarkraven - thank you for reviewing again, I thought you'd forgotton me ;-)**

**Natsuyori - I'm I still "keeping it up"?**

**CelestWikit - Thank you for your views, chapter 2 was not the best one I know, maybe you could give me some ideas to undo some of the damage?**

* * *

**Losing All The Wrong Games**

Harry and Ron were surprised to see Hermione sneaking into the common room past midnight. They were the only people there, just finishing their particularly violent game of wizard's chess.

"Er...Knight to G3," 

"Bishop to G...Hermione?"

"What, Ron, that's not a number you plonker." Harry's chair wasn't facing the portrait hole, so he hadn't seen Hermione come in.

"Hey Herm, are you alright?" Hermione lifted her face, startled, as did Harry.

"Hermione what were you doing?"

"I just went out...for a bit," she murmured,

"What about us? Do we not get to hang out with you any more?" Ron prodded her with his finger, "I know! You've being seeing someone haven't you? Haven't you?"

"Shut up Ron, Leave her alone." Harry came over to them and pulled Ron away,

"Why are you cheating on Vicky?" Ron demanded,

"For God's sake Ron, me and _Viktor_ can't really have a trans-continental relationship, can we? Anyway, I haven't heard from him for a while..."

"So who is it then?" Ron continued to pester her eagerly.

"Oh...no one you'd know,"

"Try me,"

"It doesn't matter, it's not important," she looked at the fireplace, "Oh is that the time? Do you mind if I go to bed now, or are you planning on continuing your interrogation?" She ran up the stairs to her dormitory.

"Are we ever going to understand that girl?" Ron pondered wistfully, Harry smiled and sighed.

"C'mon Ron, let's go to bed." Ron threw one final glance at the staircase leading to the girls dormitories and wondered what the odd tingling sensation in his groin that had just subsided could have been.

* * *

The next morning Hermione found Ron waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, Harry she was told was just getting dressed. "I wanted to say sorry for being such an idiot last night, a couple of seventh-years were passing round some Fire-Whisky around midnight, I might have had a teeny bit you know."

Hermione stared at him horrified, "Ron! You're a Prefect, how could you put you're badge in such jeopardy?" Ron shrugged hopelessly and quickly moved out of the way when Harry appeared, "I hope you weren't drinking last night too Harry?"

"Me? How could you suggest that I did?" Harry chuckled, "Course not Hermione, I'm not a plonker like this young man here," he clapped Ron on the shoulder,

"Ouch Harry, verbal and physical abuse at the same time is not something _we prefects _can handle." Hermione scowled, "So are you going to tell us who the lucky boy is then?"

"No!"

"We'll find out somehow, you can be sure about that!" Ron put on a cheery face, but inside him he felt like a thousand snakes were wriggling through him, churning up unexpected emotions, he kept quiet for the rest of the walk to the Great Hall.

It didn't take long for the three of them to notice something was up with the world that morning, they passed tables engaged in grave murmurs, and numerous _Daily Prophets_ being fervently read. Harry was the first to realise, sitting down at his table and picking up the newspaper, he saw the faces of six familiar people, under the heading

_SLAUGHTER OF 4 FIGHTERS OF THE DARK LORD AND 2 INNOCENT MUGGLES BRINGS BACK THE TERROR OF YOU-KNOW-WHO_

Harry gasping passed the paper across the table to Hermione and Ron, who saw four people nervously pacing around the confines of their photos and the two static shots; of a thin pale woman with a long neck and of a large blubberous boy grinning with rosy red cheeks. They then scanned down to see: a slightly dumpy woman and her tall freckled husband, both with bright orange hair, a tiny excitable little man in a purple top hat, and a pale man, with black robes and hair, a long hooked nose and a severe expression.

The three of them stared at each other for a moment, before Hermione suddenly put her arms around Ron, and whispered kindly in his ear, Harry just sat there looking aghast, it took him a while to notice Professor McGonagall who was standing at his shoulder, "Potter, Weasley, Granger, if you would come with me please, the headmaster would like to see you, do not be alarmed." They looked at her shocked, to she the degree of calmness she was taking and quietly followed, her in-between sobs. Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned to watch them out of the hall, and then the whisperings began.

"Crumple-Horned Snorkack!" she said and the extremely ugly gargoyle in front of them sprang to life, moving aside as the wall behind him spilt in tow to reveal the magical spiral staircase, "Come on now, up you go."

When they arrived at the top Professor McGonagall told them to wait and they found Ginny, sobbing hysterically on her own beside the door, "Ron! They're fucking telling me to fucking calm down! How fucking can I?" Ron, who had remained for most of the time with his head buried in Hermione's shoulder, looked up, his face blotchy and flushed far deeper than his hair, his cheeks streaming he let out a wail and collapsed into his sister. Hermione too was shaking incessantly filled with regret and grief, it was only Harry who stood there like a man, who put his arms around the three of them, who told them it would be OK and who kept his composure.

Ron slid down the side of the wall followed by Hermione, between their consoling to each other he gently put out his hand and stroked hers, he hugged her, at the same time whispering in her ear, "I'm sorry it has to be now Hermione, but I need you, _you_ Hermione, I really like you," He bent towards her face and touched her lips gently with his, he could taste her hot salty tears as they ran down her face.

She bit his lip and put his lights out, "How could you Ron? You've just found out your parents are dead and you're already trying to hit one someone!"

"Fucking bitch!!!" he screamed, and then more quietly, "I thought you wanted..."

"Never!" she exclaimed, "how do you think I'm feeling right now anyway?"

"What? You are feeling something worse for these people than me?"

"I really loved Sev..." she span away, covering her mouth horrified, Ron hadn't heard most of what she had said through Ginny's screams, but he had heard something.

"What did you just say?"

"Mr Weasley! Miss Granger! Miss Weasley! Mr Potter!" What has been going on? How was I or Professor Dumbledore supposed to even hear ourselves think?!" McGonagall roared, "Come in at once and be quiet!"

They ran in as if she had just whipped them across their backsides, Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, his fingers together, and his eyes twinkling. "I so glad you could all join us, take a seat, and a mint humbug if you wish."

They stared at him in disbelief, six people had just died, four of whom family members of three of them and he was there offering them sweets.

"Do not look so alarmed Mr Weasley, and Miss Weasley could you possibly quieten down for a few moments so everyone can hear me. So, I am sorry you had to find out this way but it was for the best. Now I think there's something you ought to know..."

* * *

**A/N: Story getting a bit darker and I'm sorry to disappoint all those people who just want romance, but I needed to give the story a frame to fit into. Ron's a bit of a naughty boy isn't he, is that working well? Cos it was just an idea, if people like that I can carry it on or we could forgive and forget – up to you. Which is why I need reviews! And could I possibly have more constructive criticisms this time (OK so something was bad, thank you for telling me, but how do you think I should make it better?!). So if you want to find out what Dumbledore is about to tell them all, review! :D**


	8. Nothing Hurts Like Love

**A/N: Lucky readers, you get an extra chapter this week.   
****Disclaimer – am I allowed to use a song title for a chapter? Cos I just did and so you all know, it was Daniel Beddingfield (or however you spell it) OK? I hope this chapter will cure the near murder threats I was getting for the last!**

**Thank you:**

**Witchintraining: I made up a new reason, is it crap? I just need to work out what happens next! Just wrote my personal statement, I was so enjoying it! And I still haven't got my cookies! :P**

**SamanthaRiddle12: how polite! Is this going to stop the abuse? Winks**

**Chainmailgrl: Don't know about happy endings, but maybe a teeny bit of though? I could be persuaded!**

**Jess: Am I right in thinking you're Jessica from chapter 5? You may have guessed how much I like cliff-hangers.**

**Natsuyori: "Keeping it up? Keeping it up? Ah ah ah ah, Keeping it up? Keeping it up?" (tune of 'Staying Alive'!) :D**

**HeadOverHeals: Hello, yes I have included you this time Lucy, happy now?**

**Lune-Argente: is this soon enough?**

**Nothing Hurts Like Love**

Now I think there's something you ought to know...These people are not dead, merely in deep hiding; for their own safety," there were four sharp intakes of breath, Dumbledore pushed out his hand, "let me finish. As I said these people are hidden in the most unlikely place imaginable as they are all in grave peril from Lord Voldemort," two sharp intakes of breath, the Weasleys had never got used to hearing his name, "I deeply apologise for all the trauma this is causing you, please be patient."

"But Sir, if my aunt and cousin are there then where's Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked as calm and collected as he had been before,

"I wondered how long you would take to ask me that Harry, the truth is we don't know. Of course we have been keeping checks on your family since the beginning of term as Lord Voldemort clearly wants to make you suffer as much as possible. Naturally those closest to you are the first to fall. We knew something was being planned and produced an emergency evacuation, you're aunt and cousin were taken but there was no sign of your uncle, apparently he had not returned home the previous night. I am afraid we are not too optimistic about his situation. I am sorry," Harry remained unperturbed.

"Professor Dumbledore when can we see our parents?"

"As much as I regret to tell you this but we do not wish for any contact to be made unless through the Order's most secure sources, and besides it is rather difficult to find a postal owl where they are. Of course we shall try to pass on your news and perhaps personal letters, but you must understand the gravity of this."

"One more thing Sir," Harry put in, "why did you put that article in the _Daily Prophet._"

"Simply easier to explain their disappearance Harry,"

"But won't it create hysteria?"

"Perhaps yes, but perhaps more cautiousness. Which reminds me, _no-one else is to know about this_, do you understand? And remember you have just lost close friends and family members, you are in grieving, don't forget that." He opened the door for them, "please, if you have anything you want to tell these people or any worries, come to me."

They made for the door, Hermione last still wiping the tears from her eyes. As she passed through it Dumbledore laid an envelope into her hands, she lifted her face and his eyes sparkled knowingly. She fingered the soft parchment as she descended the staircase, taking the route to the Gryffindor tower to make use of her free period. She went into her room and sat on her bed, slowly she tore the envelope open and pulled out a letter, written hastily in spiky black handwriting.

_Dear Hermione,   
__I am so sorry things had to turn out this way, but I have no choice. I hope Dumbledore has at least explained slightly why I have disappeared and proclaimed dead – slightly surreal reading the _Daily Prophet_. I know we did not end on the best of terms yesterday, but seeing as it is so much easier to write this, I just wanted you to know.   
__I know you may be confused and possibly annoyed but you know of course my work for the Order is dangerous, too dangerous now in Dumbledore's opinion. I fear for your safety more now than ever before; the Weasley's have gone too, and it is only to clear that the Dark Lord will want those closest to Potter, dead or alive. Dumbledore still thinks you will be safe in Hogwarts but I do not believe that any more, I have seen what it is really like, reticently I must believe that the Dark side are already greater than us, you will be surprised how easily they gained power again, not so much to our ears but there are better places to hide. We may never meet again if His plans are all carried out.   
__So please keep yourself safe, don't make enemies within the school, especially with Slytherin; lie low, do not draw much attention to yourself, I know it sounds harsh but please, it is for your own good. Continue your studies, work hard, harder than before, we need more bright minds on this side. Stick close to your friends, especially Weasley and Potter, encourage them as best you can. And, whether I already am dead by the time you are reading this, remember me, I am so sorry this all had to happen.   
__Love   
__Severus   
__P.S. Happy Birthday for tomorrow_

Hermione blinked for a few seconds, relishing that one word at the bottom of the page, '_love' _what was so significant about four little letters? She wondered, why was it so special? The word looked as if it had only been put there after a long thought; an ink blob rested at the bottom of the 'L' as if a quill had been left there for a few seconds whilst someone had been thinking what to write. She folded the letter and carefully put it back in the envelope, as she did, she felt something at the bottom of it; perhaps her birthday present. Pulling it up she found she was fingering a fine silver chain, with links so small she could barely see them, almost as if it was of spun silk. Suspended from this was a smooth translucent amber, mounted on silver. As she held it up to the light, it radiated as if a star was trapped inside it, Hermione was entranced by it's beauty, she looked closer and saw that inside the shining amber was a flower bud, just opening, possibly some ancestor of the rose.

She gasped and held it tightly in her hands, letting the rejoicing light seep into her body and fill her with content. She placed it around her neck, feeling the jewel's warmth where it rested on her collarbone. Looking at her watch she began to get her books for Double Transfiguration, but she was only half there, the other half residing in the light of her necklace.

She wandered along the corridor and met Harry and Ron outside the classroom, they it seemed had been sticking to the grieving routine and were enjoying a cry on each others shoulders whilst the class around them looked on comfortingly.

"Oh hello Hermione," said Harry cheerfully, "I mean, oh Hermione...how have you managed to cope?" They came up as the crowd dispersed, Ron looked at his feet, mumbling a short "hello" and walked into the classroom. "What's up with him?"

"Um, I guess he's still pretty upset..."

"Wow Hermione let's see your necklace! It's really pretty, where did you get it?" Harry reached out, but she cupped her hand around it.

"Birthday present, from a friend," she muttered, "come on, McGonagall will get annoyed if we're late.

They walked in to two hours of Conjuring, Hermione of course being the only one who could successfully pour herself tea from nowhere by the end of the lesson.

"Excellent work Miss Granger, twenty points. Now this is how it should be done everybody, are you watching Mr Weasley?"

Parvati Patil was muttering Lavendar Brown next to her, "are you sure he should be allowed to lessons? I mean his parents have just died..."

When the lesson ended Harry, Ron and Hermione received condolences from their classmates, Harry said something about some homework he had to catch up on, leaving them at the library. They walked in silence for a few minutes.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me this morning. I just had so many emotions whizzing round my head that I couldn't deal with it, I had to take some out. Perhaps we could do this properly now." Hermione looked at him puzzled, "start again I mean, now we know everyone is safe. So Hermione, I know this sounds forward and stupid, but, are you seeing someone at the moment, cos I don't know if I can bear another day just having you as a friend."

"Ron! Please stop now, I don't want to hear anymore. There are plenty of beautiful girls out there, you could have your pick of any one of them." She marched off to lunch alone, leaving Ron standing in the middle of the corridor, his mouth wide, and whispered after her

"But I want you..."

**A/N: Voilà, c'était bon? Or whatever... OK so only one person (witchintraining) suggested anything about the Ron thing, am I right in thinking no-one else minds? Oh, do you want more description of what's going on in classes?   
****Everyone liking the amber thing? I thought it was kind of cute personally. Little question for you...What does the rose bud symbolise? The closest answer gets a big mention next chapter and in my bio, so... who's up for that? Just my little bit of engagement with my audience. Now lets see if we can make a nice round total of reviews, how does 50 sound?**


	9. Proclamations of Love

**A/N: Ahh, hadn't realised fanfic was not letting you in, so I'm sorry if this is a bit late, and it looks like chapter 8 competition is still open, so…**

**Thank you:  
Hannalucky: Close, maybe a bit more with the rosebud...  
Nixin: Thank you very much for the helpful review, I had forgtotten they would need a new teacher!  
Natsuyori: Thank you! I know the whole thing was pissing me off - it was like "please let me do something on this website!"  
WhirlyBlue: finally, but not v.helpful  
Nerfi-Tiri: I know it's not a flame, yeh I think I managed to keep the age difference the same everywhere, but I might have forgotten somewhere, please shout if you can see any.**

**Proclamations of Love**

Hermione stormed down the corridor, catching snippets of what students passing her were saying;

"- and their heads -"

"- were all hung up outside the Muggle Prime Minister's office and their -"

"– body parts were sent in a big box to -"

"- Ron Weasley? He's about to be admitted to St Mungo's psychiatric ward, had a mental breakdown in his Transfiguration lesson this morning and nearly killed -"

"- Harry Potter threw up over Professor Dumbledore, and _then _he made McGonagall clean it up, I mean, he already thought he was above us all, now some of his family have died and he's expecting them to –"

"– cry everywhere, on her books, at teachers, even when –"

"- Sprout was trying to talk to her but –"

"- he just kept throwing all his –"

"- homework, they aren't getting any –"

"- breakfast and they just all marched out with McGonagall –"

"- who told them to shut up cos –"

"- he just turned into this giant strawberry –"

"- Filch was furious, the mess it made –"

"- all over the new rugs in the common room –"

"- you should have been there –"

"- it was like a mad house –"

"- newspapers everywhere, they just have to keep seeing –"

"- those faces, can you imagine –"

"- how terrible it must be?"

By the end of the corridor Hermione was running, breathless, trying to escape the prying eyes and snide comments, she grabbed a Cornish pasty from the nearest table in the Great Hall and rushed back to the library through a shortcut hidden behind a mirror, at least no-one would be watching her. In the library she made straight for the private study cubicles for the older students where she found Harry, previously calm and collected, sobbing gently over his homework.

"Harry…" she pulled the books out from under him as their words were steadily seeping off the page and she put her arms around him, "shh… it's OK, it's alright no need for tears eh?" put it was too late for her too, quiet teardrops trickled down her face onto her chest where they met the amber and made it shine gloriously. She looked down at it and thought she saw Snape's face reflected back up at her, "_encourage them as best you can_," she sniffed and held her head upright again,

"Stop it Harry, that's enough now, please, we can't lose this fight, we have to be strong on the inside. Harry?"

"You're right Hermione, I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me… I was just thinking…"

"About Sirius?"

"Yes, and everything else, I just feel that it's all my fault, if I hadn't been born –"

"But Harry, you can't choose whether you're born or not, can you? Come on,"

"Where's Ron?"

"Oh, we had a little –"

"So much for strong inside Hermione, can you to not stop bickering for a few hours?"

"It wasn't like that Harry,"

"What was it like then?"

"Oh, Harry, he's not too well at the moment you can't blame for his actions, but –"

"But?"

"He tried to make a move on me, that's all, I'm sure he's just a bit mixed up,"

"What!" Harry looked furious, "He did that? Now? I will get him for that, are you OK?"

"Harry calm down! This is a library for God's sake, I'm going to find a book, look after my bag for a sec…"

Harry sat in the cubicle alone, and let his rage subside, he looked at her bag. He saw the stiff parchment of an envelope, he stared at it for a few moments and his curiosity go the better of him, surely a peek wouldn't hurt? He thought. Gently he pulled the letter free of the envelope and stared in horror at the spiky black handwriting sprawled across the page, and read, all the way down to the bottom where it said _Love Severus_. Harry was shocked, he hastily shoved it back in her bag with his mouth hanging open, how long had this been going on for? It was disturbing, kind, sensible Hermione, a model student, and having an infatuation with her teacher! He found it disgusting to think of them, how far had they got, how far had he pushed his slimy way?

Hermione came back in, "better now?"

"You disgusting slut!"

"I'm sorry?" Hermione stared at him, trembling slightly,

"What do you see in him? He's a disgusting, greasy haired git! How long has it been going on for?" he roared,

"Harry! Shh…the library!"

"Oh you cow, he made you didn't he? Did he hurt you?"

"I don't think I understand," she muttered, quickly performing a Sound Proofing Charm to the walls around them,

"Oh, I think you bloody well do. SNAPE!!! What were you thinking?"

"Oh, that…" she looked at her feet,

"And that necklace, that's from him too, isn't it?"

"Harry, please let me explain…" she pleaded

"He may still be alive now, but he won't be for much longer!"

"Harry! Shut up! It's what I want! Just let me make my own decisions please, I'll be 17 tomorrow."

"Hermione, a man at least twenty years older than you is not going to be writing you letters like this because he wants help with his potions,"

"Maybe not, but I know what I'm doing,"

"I'm sorry but I'm going to have to say something, I can't let this just go on, I'm worried about you,"

"Harry, this is mad,"

"Oh yeah, give me one reason why not to,"

"Well you see, the problematic thing is. I love him." She proclaimed,

"What?" Harry had stopped fuming and was staring at her, puzzled,

"I love him!" she ran off, leaving Harry gobsmacked. She ran out of the library, through the corridors, out of the doors to the Entrance Hall and finally came to rest on the huge stone steps outside it. The trailing ivy was taking over, covering all the steps in a blanket of thick foliage. She sat down and stared upwards, a chill wind was blowing through the trees and grey clouds were gathering. From out of a cloud she saw a dim shape, as it grew closer she saw it was a large tawny owl, flying straight towards her.

She leaped up and received the letter it released from its claws, and then, almost as suddenly as it had arrived, it flew off and was absorbed back into the clouds. She clasped the letter in her hand, and although she didn't need to she glanced at the inscription on the envelope – _Hermione Granger_, in black spider-like writing.

**A/N: This chapter isn't really important, it's just a link with a bit more atmosphere and opinions than the previous chapters. Guessed people might have been getting bored of my pages of description, so here's some dialogue for you, rather a lot actually… Not really very much writing at all (about 1000 words) so sorry if that's too little, but it's what this chapter needs really. Anyway I did have very busy weekend, so, umm what else can I say? What you can do is press that little button and I'll go off to do my Physics revision…**


	10. Choice

**A/N: Is no-one entering chapter 8s comp.? Well I don't blame you, it was pretty crap, OK I'm warning you now, the next chapter could get nasty – it's up to you.**

**Thank you:  
Natsuyori: I'm still writing  
latinachikita: thank you for a lovely review!  
PinkAphid: LOL  
witchintraining: this OK?  
**

**Choice**

Hermione tried to prise the letter from its envelope, expecting another note, but there were only two words on the parchment, the ink barely dry:

He knows 

Hermione repeated the words to herself, but she already understood: Lord Voldemort knew Severus wasn't dead and he knew that something was going on between them.

"Happy now Mudblood?" a cold voice drawled behind her, Draco Malfoy was alone, "I mean once I threw that feeble Memory Charm off I went straight to father, he's told a few of his friends, naturally. But then the Daily Prophet this morning? I just knew it couldn't be true, and father has lists of those that, that…suffer unfortunate accidents, he's hiding somewhere, you and I both know that, but how long before I find out where?"

"I…I don't know what you're talking about!" she spluttered,

"Shut up! You know it all perfectly well! Where is he?"

"I don't know! Why would I?"

"Give me three guesses,"

"Look! I have absolutely no idea of where he is, please just leave me alone."

"But Granger, would you rather the rest of the school knew what a little slut you really are? You'd get expelled! Can you think of a worse fate?" he chuckled to himself,

"Please Malfoy, I don't know where he is!" she pleaded with him,

"Looks like it's on to plan B then, so who am I going to tell first? McGonagall?"

"No! Don't!" tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes,

"Well, you could always do me a favour then…"

She lifted her head slightly, puzzled, their eyes made contact and he smirked grimly, "you see, we in Slytherin, we like to be on top of everyone else and the current competition is to see who can lose their virginity first." He paused, "is that too much to ask from a slut like yourself?"

She stared at him horrified, wanting more than anything to turn back and run as far away from this monster of humankind as she could.

"Well, then looks like it'll be the juiciest gossip in school in no time, then I suppose you could come and meet my father…he could invite some of his friends over too, couldn't that be cosy?"

"Malfoy? If I did, I mean say I did just –"

"- Have sex with me -"

"Yes, then you wouldn't tell anyone else about me and him, ever? And you'd stop threatening me, and you'd leave Harry alone?"

"Oh, poor Potter! Does he know that his best friend is infatuated with his hated Potions master?"

"Shhhhh! Not so loud,"

"Well, I suppose you offer fair terms, minus the Potter thing, how could I possibly give up a lifetime of hatred for one little fling?" she looked back to the ground, "so it's up to you; sleep with me and I'll say no more, though I can't promise father hasn't already done something, or refuse and I tell everyone, I'll give you until tomorrow lunchtime."

Hermione wandered back up to the castle and packed her bag for Double Charms, followed by Potions. She spent the entire lesson looking at the clock, gazing out the window out onto the grounds where the last rays of summer sunshine were glimmering as they prepared to enter October in a few days.

"Miss Granger! Miss Granger!" Professor Flitwick squeaked, "may I have a word?" she looked around, he eyes widening to see the empty classroom, and nodded. "Have you been feeling well recently? It's just that several of my colleagues have reported you missing or not paying attention in lessons for the last few weeks. I know you've just had a hard hit," he winked slightly, "but this is not the state of mind to begin your sixth year with, please try harder, I know you can do so well, and we don't want you to be sent to Professor McGonagall or even Professor Dumbledore now do we?" he smiled at her kindly, "now off you go."

She ran to follow her classmates to the dungeons where they met an extraordinary looking man; he had a pudding-bowl haircut, wore square spectacles and beneath his tweed robes it was almost certain that he was hiding a pair of bow-legged limbs. He was your stereotypical old English schoolboy.

"Welcome everybody, I am Professor Valgus Infelix, I shall be teaching you Potions for a period," he gave an immature little snicker at the last word, the class looked on scornfully, "so you're all doing this for NEWT then? Great, there's a potion on the board, ingredients on the desks and I'm going to come round and get to know you."

The class began to mutter as they arranged their cauldrons and ingredients but soon they were happily chatting away, quite different from the harsh, cold silence of Snape's lessons. Malfoy kept trying to signal to Hermione across the room, but she ignored him, until he arrived in front of her, "I've got some Fly Agaric – enough will make you do it easily and enjoyably, and then not remember it, one galleon a cap?"

"I'm not stupid Malfoy," she hissed, "Fly Agaric is a poisonous fungus, of course I'd not remember it – I'd be dead wouldn't I? And I will report you to Professor McGonagall; no-one especially Prefects should be dealing illegal substances,"

"You wouldn't dare…"

"Just watch me,"

"I was only kidding," he said, hastily shoving the red mushrooms back into the pocket of his robes and sauntered off.

"Hello! And you are?"

"Hermione Granger," she muttered,

"Oh, I say, I have great expectations of you Miss Granger, I have heard much about you," she blushed deeply and he grinned, "so how're you doing with the potion?" he leant forward to check her cauldron, knowing the rest of her ingredients all over the floor, "very good, but could you clear this up please, we want a tidy laboratory don't we?"

"But sir…laboratory?" she'd certainly never heard the dungeons being called that before. Professor Infelix proceeded to knock two cauldrons over and trip up on the benches four times.

The end of the day was greatly anticipated by all, the three of them sat silently in the common room, doing their homework as quickly as possible and then wandering to their dormitories. Hermione finished first; muttering goodnight to the boys she ascended the staircase leading to her room and was soon asleep.

When she woke up she began the monotonous morning tasks, and got downstairs to a pile of present on her favourite chair by the fire, Harry and Ron beside it. "Oh you shouldn't have…" Ginny joined them in a rendition of Happy Birthday and soon she was sitting on the chair with wrapping paper all around her. There was of course a pile of books, chocolate, a scarf (made by Mrs Weasley), a Quidditch League magically changing wall chart (a disappointing last attempt of Ron's to try and get her into the game) and a collection of luxury quills from Harry. The boys soon left her for Qudditch practise so she and Ginny sat chatting by the fire, enjoying the Saturday morning. Several cards arrived at breakfast, including one scruffily signed,

S. xxx 

They went down to the Great Hall for lunch where they had agreed to meet Harry and Ron, Ginny wondered down the table to speak to a friend and Hermione was left alone.

"This seat taken?" came a familiar drawl,

"Malfoy! This is Gryffindor's table," 

"So? What do I care? What I care about is your decision…"

"But I, it's my birthday! I can't do this…"

"Yes or no?"

"I…guess it's going to have to be…"

**A/N: Attention! I need a poll – please review and in your review say whether she should, cos I can't decide, I need YOU! So what else can I say? Anyone who knows Latin – what does the new teacher's name mean? **


	11. Responsibilities

**A/N: OK so I've tried to please most people, but still add some suspense to the story line. OK and Valgus Infelix Bow-legged Unlucky/Infertile (well done PinkAphid and Natsuyori for getting the surname)  
****I was amazed by all the helpful reviews :D  
****Thank you:  
****Witchintraining: good ideas, cheers  
****PinkAphid: what do you mean by 'trust you'? ;)  
****Sap: I agree so I've come to a compromise here  
****Hahaha-evil: umm, it was pretty clear of your opinion!  
****Ky: was I supposed to understand much of that? I think you seemed to like it…  
****Natsuyori: You may have noticed I now update twice a week – is that not quick enough? Cos I'm not superwoman! :D  
****Asphodel: OMG you like writing long reviews, excuse me but I'm the one writing the story here! ;) But thank you for your VERY helpful comments, so I have thought about adding another chapter before the second (which was a mistake) but I figured it's not the most important thing in the world, and I can learn from my mistakes, i.e. later stories of mine are naturally going to be much better. I'm guessing you'll want some 'sexual tension' somewhere soon…  
****SamanthaRiddle12: We'll see**

**Responsibilities**

"Yes or no?"

"I…guess it's going to have to be…" she thought hard, if she did this at least she would still be in school and wouldn't have to face the rest of the pupils and staff. But this was still her virginity she was bargaining, something she had always wanted to save for when she was really sure and with someone she loved and trusted. But this was different. So what if she didn't? She knew Malfoy would be more than happy to spread it around, and that she would probably be expelled, but she would still be loyal to Snape.

"Yes…" she mumbled, "I will but you have to promise me that you will never tell anyone about this or about me and him, you will try and stop your father from doing whatever he was going to do, and you will leave me, Harry and Ron alone forever."

"You drive a hard bargain Granger," he whispered in her ear, stroking her cheek, she tried to pull away but he grabbed her hands, "that room you lot all used to go to last year, meet me there, 9 o'clock tonight,"

"The Room of Requirement?"

"How do I know what it's called, it's that room you had your secret meetings in."

"Hey Hermione!" Harry and Ron came into the Great Hall, still in their muddy Quidditch robes, "what was that creep doing talking to you?"

"Oh nothing, he was just being his usual self. Come on, the stew's almost finished."

They ate in silence, until Ron went off to do some homework.

"Hermione? Do you want to go for a walk?" Harry asked as the left the Great Hall,

"Don't you have any homework?"

"It can wait, I want to talk to you," she shrugged and they walked down the front steps onto the courtyard. "Hermione, I'm really sorry about what I said to you yesterday; I was in shock and I was confused. Can you forgive me?"

She smiled at him, "thank you, yes of course I forgive you, it's just been like a madhouse recently."

"So Hermione, please tell me what's been going on, I just want to understand it all better," they sat down on one of the cold stone benches.

"OK, but I'm not sure I understand much of it myself. So starting school this term I just felt different…" and so she began, with Harry nodding earnestly and asking a few questions through the conversation. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders; talking to someone had made it all so much easier for her to handle and to think about. "…And now with him gone, I just don't know what to do."

Harry put his arm round her shoulder, "I promise it's safe with me, I won't tell anyone unless you want me to."

"Well it's a bit late now, I mean, er… thank you."

"What? Does someone already know?"

"Malfoy," she muttered, "he saw us, weeks ago. You know those slashes on his face? That was me. Severus but a memory Charm on him, but it obviously wasn't strong enough. Malfoy's told his Dad, they know he's not dead, and now Malfoy says that if I want him to keep quiet I have to…" her garbling came to an abrupt halt.

"You have to what?" Harry looked at her anxiously,

"He says I have to sleep with him!" she sobbed, Harry let her bury her head in his chest, she quickly came up again wiping her eyes,

"But you said no didn't you?"

Silence

"Hermione?"

Silence

"Hermione? Please tell me you said no?"

"I was confused! He just came onto me, what else could I have done?"

"He's blackmailing you!"

"I know, but – "

"You can't let him! Where's he meeting you?"

"The Room of Requirement, 9 o'clock, but Harry, no – "

"I'll wear the Cloak, he won't see, and then Ill kill him or, or something,"

"You can't do that, and what happens if you see something you really don't want to see?"

"I won't let it go that far, I promise. The last thing I want is for anything to happen to you. We'll take him to Dumbledore."

"And how are we going to explain it all?"

"Come on Hermione, Dumbledore knows everything, and I'm sure he'd love a chance to get a Death Eater's son expelled." Harry smiled at the thought of Malfoy packing his cases and catching the train back home.

"OK, let's do this."

At a quarter to 9 the two of them snuck out of the Gryffindor common room under the Cloak, Ron, engrossed in an animated game of Gobstones with his sister hadn't noticed them rise from their armchairs beside the fire. They walked silently down a secret flight of stairs to the hallway where the hidden door was. When they entered the room was lit dimly by the light of flickering candles, a large bed was against one wall and along the opposite wall were large drapes and curtains. On a small table in the middle of the room were several bottles of Firewhisky.

"I don't like this Harry,"

"Come on, look it's perfect; you get him really drunk, then I take the Cloak off, knock him out and we drag him to Dumbledore, his office is on this floor you know." Harry's voice echoed around the room,

"I'm putting a lot into your hands here,"

"Shh, I can hear footsteps."

And sure enough the door's handle turned slowly and Malfoy dressed in robes all of black came striding in, putting out the light of his wand. "Ah, Granger," he ran a long thin finger down her cheek, "Are you ready?"

"I…I just need a drink first," she held up a bottle to him which he took and drained in only a few seconds, perhaps he wasn't feeling quite as cool as he made out. She passed him another and soon he'd lost count of how many he'd had.

"No, I think I've had enough now," he slurred as she passed him his sixth bottle,

"Don't worry this is only your second –"

He sat there on the bed, looking around him, "so why am I here again?"

BAM!

Harry fist appeared in midair and Malfoy lay unconscious on the cold stone floor. Hermione grinned and gave Harry a high-five. "Thank you so much!" She quickly bewitched the body to make it feather-light and they hid it and themselves under the Cloak.

"OK Harry, little problem, we don't know the password." She said as they stood outside the stone gargoyle.

"Crumple-Horned Snorkack," she gargoyle sprang aside, "see, it hasn't changed from the other day." They took the Cloak off as they stepped onto the first step and the staircase spiralled up to the top. Harry knocked on the door, and it silently swung open, Dumbledore was sitting at his desk in a periwinkle blue dressing gown and a matching nightcap.

"I wondered whether I'd be seeing you sometime soon," his eyes sparkled, he gestured to a couch against the wall, "lie him down there, and then take a seat." They sat facing him.

"You do realise Miss Granger that it is illegal for a teacher to have any sort of relationship with a 16 -18 year old under his/her care, and unethical for a teacher to make or accept approaches to a student. I could have you expelled and Professor Snape dismissed – "

"If he wasn't supposed to be dead," interrupted Harry,

"Thank you Mr Potter, but I'm not going to. But I must warn you that if anyone else should find out about this I may be forced to take disciplinary action. So, why have you come to talk to me?"

"It's Malfoy Sir, he's been blackmailing Hermione. He saw something a few weeks ago, Snape put a Memory Charm on him but he threw it off, he's told his Dad and threatened to tell everyone else. Oh, and Lucius Malfoy knows Snape's not dead."

"Thank you Mr Potter for your synopsis of the situation, but Miss Granger this all leads back to you; what have you to say?"

"Harry's said it all really," she mumbled, looking at the floor,

"Not of this blackmailing, what did Mr Malfoy want?"

"He…he wanted to sleep with me…" Dumbledore's face remained as calm and sincere as ever,

"And did you let him?" she looked him in the eye.

"No. Thanks to Harry I managed to stop him, but he is a bit drunk," she glanced over to the couch where Malfoy lay snoring loudly.

"I think you two ought to go to bed now, thank you for your information, rest assured it will be sorted out. And if either of you need to talk, I am always open. Now off you go. I'm sorry this all had to happen on your birthday Miss Granger."

Harry and Hermione walked back to the common room. Hermione wondered how Dumbledore had known everything – that it had been going on and that it was her birthday. Perhaps she'd never know. She went back to her room and found an envelope lying on her bed, of the same soft parchment that had become so familiar, and those spider-like black words.

**A/N: How was that? I hope it wasn't too long. They didn't do anything, but Malfoy got bollocked and she's got another letter. Life's great. OK the next chapter is just going to be letters to and from each other, that way we can cover loads of time, and get in sync with the 'real' time i.e. you'll want to read about Christmas over Christmas won't you? Which reminds me, chapter 13 is probably going to be your lot until after the New Year – it's my birthday and Christmas, I need a break and I want to work on some new material.**


	12. Letters

**A/N: OK so thank you: witchintraining (who knows how well I can write letters), PinkAphid, Natsuyori (Happy Birthday to you - 1 week exactly till mine!), USAFroggi87 and Artemis MoonClaw (hello again)**

**Letters**

Dear Hermione

How are you? I hope my last letter didn't scare you too much, or force you to take any risks on my behalf. I am afraid I cannot say I am safe, but I am safer, as are those who are with me.

I am so sorry things had to happen this way, just when we were beginning to make up again, recently I've had a lot of time to think things through about my future (if I'm still going to get one) and I would like it if you were a part of it. But of course I don't think I stand much of a chance the way I can see things. If somehow we do manage to overcome the Dark Lord, Dumbledore has promised that we can all return as we were before.

How was your birthday? I hope you like the necklace I gave you, it's been an heirloom in my family for many years; since my great-great-grandfather married a woman who had been in Gryffindor, I thought it was appropriate. When light shines on the amber the wearer's true love is supposed to see a dazzling gold light, unfortunately I've never been able to test this. I hope I will see you before too long.

Severus

Dear Severus,

So much has been going on since you left; Ron has been all over the place, but Harry's very good and taking it all in his stride, I don't understand how he can be so incredibly supportive when he has the heaviest burden to carry. Malfoy broke through your Memory Charm to tell his father, who must have told others, and then Malfoy started blackmailing me; saying that he would tell the rest of the school. But it's OK now; Harry and me stopped him and took him to Dumbledore. I don't know what he did but Malfoy hasn't been near us since and he's certainly less full of himself.

Thank you so much for the necklace; it's so beautiful, whenever I look down and see it I think of you. How are you? It must be strange living in hiding when everybody else thinks you're dead, I hope where you're staying isn't too horrible. I'm sure Harry, Ron and Ginny would really appreciate it if I passed on their love to everyone.

From Hermione

Dear Hermione,

Dumbledore has told me about what happened with Malfoy, it sounds as though you are all right, but be strong. Does Potter know? It certainly seemed that way from your letter, I trust that he acted like a man and supported you still. Dumbledore couldn't go into much detail.

I'm sorry but I couldn't tell the others that your friends send their love as no one knows I'm actually writing to you, Dumbledore allowed me to as long as I am careful. The most we can do is pass on information subtly – the Weasleys are thinking of their children so I assured them that their children were too. Harry aunt and cousin are still very nervous and do not talk to us much but I think they know they have no alternative. Have you heard anything of Mr Dursley?

Hogwarts most be wonderful now; all the leaves golden brown, the first-years jumping in the grounds, those bright bitter mornings, Halloween – I hope that goes well, I think Dumbledore is planning something to lighten the heart a bit. I suppose he won't have found a new Defence teacher yet – seeing as I've only lasted a month

Love Severus

Dear Severus,

Halloween was brilliant; the ghosts acted a scene from _Macbeth_ (in parody), which was hilarious, and Dumbledore was randomly transfiguring people's heads into pumpkins! The food as always was delicious, I enclose a small handful of Honeydukes new sweets – I'm sure you'll be able to think of an excuse for receiving them.

Everyone seems to have calmed down a bit, term is well under way and you were right; we don't have a new Defence teacher, it's just being covered by various teachers, including Dumbledore though, so we do get to do some practical work. The new Potions master is called Vaglus Infelix and he is the most annoying, smarmy, spotty bastard I've ever met. He is so hopeless and cannot teach at all, we all really want you back.

Yes, Harry did find out. He found a letter from you, which prompted a bit of an argument, but in the end he did apologise and said he didn't mind as long as I was happy. After all, he did help me get Malfoy.

I better go now, but I hope to write again soon,

All my love, Hermione

Dear Hermione,

I'm glad Potter took it well enough, what about Weasley? Halloween sounded like it was a great success, we managed to get hold of a pumpkin but it wasn't the same. It is becoming excruciatingly hard to stay inside for all theses months, we feel like animals in zoo.

Last night, lying in bed, I thought I saw in front of me a dazzling gold light. Perhaps it was my imagination, but was there light on the amber that time? I'm missing Hogwarts, and especially you lots – though perhaps not the enormous workload. I've gone from working each day at least twice over to spending the entire day sitting around waiting for the next.

Love Severus

Dear Severus,

You poor things – shut up in a house without being able to go out, I don't know how you're managing to keep sane. Ron doesn't know about us, but Harry thinks he has a right to know; I'm just scared of what he might do because he tried to make a move on me months ago and I don't think he's got over it. But Harry thinks that once, like he had, the argument is over that he'll be really kind and supportive. Part of me wants to do it just so that Harry doesn't have to bear so much.

Some Ravenclaw seventh-year asked me out last week, of course I said no but it's been getting so lonely without you and my life no longer has that happy thrill in it, of enjoying something that is illegal so much. I don't know if this amber thing works; it's not as if you're my true love is it? And besides I'm sure that's all just Muggle fairy story stuff.

I hope you are all well, nearly everyone here is getting the usual cold of course, but I think the prospect of Christmas keep us all going. Will you get out for Christmas? Maybe you should ask Dumbledore if we could come to see you all for Christmas, I mean Ron and Ginny have lost their parents. I could try some negotiating this end if you want.

Lots of Love, Hermione

Dear Hermione,

I think Christmas is a very good idea, but if it does go through you should definitely tell Weasley beforehand. Maybe you were right about the amber; it seems too like fairy story doesn't it? I just found it when I was packing up with a note attached to it, but I could have been anything. Though I did make sure it was nothing to do with the evil of the rest of my family.

Maybe you should go and find yourself a boyfriend; I think I'm going to be stuck here for a very long time. A teenage girl needs a social life. So I hope Dumbledore says yes about Christmas.

Love Severus,

Who by the look of it is going to be here forevermore.

**A/N: So now it's about November and Chap. 13 will be Christmas. Will they get together? Review!**


	13. Good Tidings

**A/N: Sorry this took a while but it was my birthday and Christmas on Saturday, I'm on holiday people! So this is a weird chapter I started it about a week and a half ago and just kept adding random bits on to it. Just a warning – this chapter contains some content that might offend some readers, it's not descriptive (this fic is staying PG-13) but it is a bit suggestive. Don't worry it is VERY mild! (For now…)**

**Thank you:**

**Vlaire – I know it was mean but this chapter is nicer**

**PinkAphid – here's some action for you**

**Artemis MoonClaw – I tried to put those little line things between each letter but it didn't work was pissing me off**

**Greeknelo – sorry this took a while (see above!)**

**Natsuyori – Thankyou!**

**Tallgiraffe32 – I know I know… I'm v.bad but read my note to Asphodel in chap.11 that might clear things up a bit**

**WhirlyBlue – hello Shirl! How's HK?**

**Good Tidings**

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny stood together in Dumbledore's office. He held out a large box of tissues and they each took a hold of it. Dumbledore counted down from three and they felt the familiar whooshing sensation and the feeling of being hooked up by their navels. The colours swirling around them stopped as they landed, shakily on the cold floor of a shabby hallway which looked as if someone had tried to clean it but failed. Two red-haired parents came rushing forward to claim two of the red-haired children, a tiny man in purple hat bowed and smiled at them, two anxious looking Muggles hung at the doorway with expressions somewhere between relief and fear. And one tall pale man, clad in black robes stood at the door and caught Hermione's eye, he smiled and put a finger to his lips, gestured with his finger towards him and disappeared from the doorway.

Everyone was too busy in the Weasleys' hugs to notice her slipping off into the adjacent room. "Hermione! I've missed you so much!" He came straight at her, his hands all over her face, just longing for that soft touch again. But she took his hands away, gently.

"Severus, look we need to talk…" he sighed, he knew those words too well. "This really isn't working; for a start you're my teacher –"

"Ex-teacher; I'm dead remember,"

"- And twenty years my senior, I'm still at school, I'm studying for my NEWTs and it's so hectic. I just want a normal life."

"Hermione one of your best friends is Harry Potter; you will never have a normal life. Are you telling that you've spent months planning this? Negotiating with Dumbledore just so that you could come here for a week and tell me that you don't want me? Because if I didn't know any better I'd call that selfish and insensitive."

"No Severus, it's not like that."

"What is it like then?" his voiced was beginning to rise,

"Shh, they'll hear."

"Well if they know already then it doesn't really matter does it?" she looked at her feet,

"I couldn't tell Ron…"

"Great! This is just great; you promised me you'd tell him."

"I did _not_ promise, you just suggested it!"

"Don't insult me girl!"

"What did you just call me?"

"What's going on in here?"

"Ron!" Hermione spun round, her face flushed she ran her fingers through her hair, "Sev…Snape was just going, he was just helping me on the essay Professor Infelix set us," the idea of asking her ex-teacher to help her with homework over Christmas was enough for Ron.

"What? You're doing homework now?! And with Snape," he muttered the last phrase under his breath, "Well Mum wants you and Ginny to go and help her cook dinner, the kitchen's just down there…"

Hermione gave a great sigh, "Me and Ginny?"

"Well you're girls aren't you? Go cook the dinner,"

Hermione's face went even redder than it had been before and she trembled with rage, Snape smirked at her across the room thinking how sexy she looked when she was angry, she clenched her fists and marched out of the room. Ron pulled a face at Snape and went back to his game of chess with Harry. Hermione stomped down the hallway and passed the kitchen door, going upstairs instead. She looked around the rooms, they were not unusable, but they reminded her of rooms in a dreary hotel, that you would never be able to call your own no matter how much you tried.

She recognised the Weasley's bedroom; warm lights and colours, magical and Muggle implements, and the sense of someone trying too hard. The Dursley's was spotless but still felt bleak, though it was simple and usable. Diggle's was bright and cheery; decorated with throws of various oriental designs and what looked like paper stars had been stuck to the ceiling and charmed to shine. Snape's was the one that had least been looked after, apart from the dark satin throws and curious silver objects affixed to the walls that seemed to radiate dim light, the room was mostly undecorated. It was clean, but it felt as if someone would just come in and say _Scourgify_ once a day, without any real care.

She sat down on his bed, the covers were a dull black material, and it wasn't particularly comfy. A cold chill came upon her and she felt as if someone was watching her, she felt afraid. She thought she heard a voice, whispering, somewhere, softly, sinisterly. She looked around herself, wide-eyed, she saw nothing but the dark walls of the room, that seemed to be tightening, closing in on her, engulfing her in their darkness. She closed her eyes for a second and opened them again; Snape was standing in the doorway.

"I though you were making dinner," she swore at him under her breath, he smiled and came and sat beside her, "What? Tears Hermione? What ever is the matter?"

"Nothing," she wiped her eyes,

"I'm sorry for being a pig to you, it's just all so hard at the moment, hard on everything." He put an arm around her waist and squeezed it comfortingly. He gently ran his hand down her face and neck, stopping at the necklace and clasping it in his fingers. "You don't believe it do you?"

She looked at him and mumbled softly, "How can I know if you're my true love? I mean how do I know I'm even in love? I don't have anything to compare it to."

"Then I suppose some might think you lucky to know nothing of the pains of love,"

"Severus, I'm 17, I haven't exactly had much experience yet,"

"True, but in time you will see,"

"See what? Severus, are you OK? You seem to be, I don't know, kind of, _distant_."

"I've found that you only realise you love someone when you are alone, without them," he looked into her eyes, "have you not felt anything these past months?" she looked puzzled,

"Of course I missed you Severus, but I know you're safe and I've kept in contact with you, it's not that bad really."

"Perhaps I _was_ foolish, you are too young; you don't understand," he muttered, but loud enough for her to hear,

"Will you explain yourself for once?!"

"Oh look Hermione, I've spent the past two months alone with only 5 other people – none of whom I like – I'm not allowed out of the house, I can't speak to anyone, I'm rarely allowed to look out a window for fear of someone seeing my face. I've had a lot of time to think. And I think that I've fallen in love with you." Her eyes widened, "I can't spent a living moment with your face not in my mind, it pains me to hear your name, to see you, knowing that you can't be mine."

She remained silent for a moment and then gently caressed his cheek, "I can be yours…" she ran her hand down to where his billowing black robes began, and slowly unbuttoned them. He lifted her top over her head and stroked her back. The rest was forgotten in their ardour.

* * *

Hermione lay on her back, her eyes shut, she felt a soft kiss on her lips and she blinked. She was lying naked under the black satin sheets of the bedroom, enjoying their gentle touch on her skin; Snape was standing above her dressed, "Merry Christmas,"

She gasped in shock wrapping the bed sheets around her more tightly, hiding her face, but he cupped in his hands and gave her another kiss. "Don't you want to see your presents?"

"Severus, did we…I mean last night when…?"

"Yes, we did. Have you discovered what love is yet? Could you give me something in return?"

"Yes, I think I could. Yes Severus, I _do_ love you." She smiled and grasped his face pulling him into a deeper kiss.

"I guess that's why they call it making love," he whispered to himself, he took his dressing gown from the door and gave it to her, and gestured to the present lying in the middle of the floor, "I thought I'd give you this before we met the others,"

She smiled and bent down, slowly unwrapping the silver paper, tied with a black ribbon. She caught a glimpse of something deep purple, and sure enough it was. A beautiful long, slender dress, deep purple satin with flecks of gold, the sleeves would just loosely drape over her shoulders and the hem skimmed the floor. She was speechless, he turned whilst she dressed and he tied the black ribbon in her hair. Then he brought out a velvet-covered box, revealing an exquisite set of diamond earrings, shaped like teardrops. Real tears fell from her eyes, "Severus this is all so beautiful…"

"No Hermione, you are the one who is beautiful," he held her against his chest,

"Wait, my gifts, they're in the room – I was supposed to be – staying in," she slid past the door and ran across the corridor; luckily everyone else was still asleep. Ginny who was sharing a room with her hardly stirred as she clambered across it to her suitcase. She ran back to Severus' room clutching a small parcel. She came in and gave it to him; a box, wrapped in scarlet-coloured paper dotted with silver stars that she had bewitched to twinkle. He opened it and inside found a silver watch; opening the clasps on the side he saw that it had two faces; one on the outside and one on the inside. The opposite side of the inside face held a small mirror.

The two faces were different in design; the outside one was just like any normal clock but the inside had four hands, all pointing to a minute engraved symbol. On the back the words _'All I want is you' _were carved. He looked at her and smiled, "How am I supposed to work this?"

"It's a Paired Watch, I have the other, from the front they tell the time, the face inside tells you what the other wearer is doing and feeling (the symbols will make sense soon enough) and the mirror is a two-way one. So if you want to contact me you would check whether I was free and what mood I was in, the call my name. And," she added, "there is no way anyone could tap them. It would be completely safe,"

"Unless someone got hold of it,"

"But Severus, that's not going to happen."

They smiled at each other and held hands he put the watch on and she took the other from a small bag, hers was slighter and more feminine, but still part of the pair.

"Merry Christmas Hermione," Ron stood in the doorway, his face beetroot red as the door slammed shut behind him.

**A/N: So – sweetness, soppiness, sex, clichés and angry young boys! Merry Christmas everyone! I was very high whilst writing this – probably easy to guess, the only things I haven't eaten in the last 24 hours that wasn't chocolate were two slices of toast – chocolate is bad for me! Oh well, sorry if that chapter was a bit crap and the title doesn't really fit with it does it? But hey. Click that little button!**


	14. A Perfect Storm

A/N: I know I'm so bad, making you wait two weeks for the next chapter, but don't despair, it's here! Hope everyone had a great New Year. This took me so long cos I was on holiday, I know it sounds weird but I need pressure to write really (ie. homework on top of fanfics) and as Christmas hols don't really do that… But hey, it's here

**Thanks to:  
****Natsuyori: Thank you, you flatter me  
****Artemis MoonClaw: I know, I thought I needed some 'shock'  
****RogueGrunger1990: Lots of trouble!  
****PinkAphid: no comment  
****Kylala-San: I don't think SSHG would work if they aren't a little out of character, but I've tried to make him a bit nastier here**

**A Perfect Storm**

"Ron?!" Hermione and Snape sprang apart; she hastily pulled the arm of her dress up and stood between the two men.

"Wh…What the hell is going on?" Ron spat,

"Shh, Ron please, I'll explain, but you'll wake the others…"

"Let them hear, they deserve to hear this, to hear what a dirty slut you really are, all this time, all this time…" he pulled the door open behind him, knocking Ginny over who had been listening at the door.

"Ron! Please," she lunged out to push the door back but he grabbed her arm, Snape stepped forward and fixed Ron with a steely grimace,

"Leave her, now," he muttered darkly, Ron let go of her and instead approached Snape,

"It was you wasn't it? Love Potion I expect, you just want another girl to play with, push her hard, get what you want and then leave her – probably pregnant – alone and covered in your filth. You disgusting git," he marched closer to Snape and punched him square on the nose, blood began to trickle down his pallid face in a harsh opposite.

Hermione screamed and grabbed Ron round the neck, caught by surprise he backed off Snape, gagging and spluttering, behind them Harry had appeared, he shooed Ginny away and tried to pull Hermione off Ron. But her grip was too tight. "Hermione stop!!!" they both yelled, Ron's face was becoming ever purpler, at last she released him and stared ashen-faced as he lay wriggling on the floor. He came up again, the blotched finger marks imprinted on his neck; his eyes alight with a mad fire. Harry grabbed his arms and held them behind his back. Snape conjured a collar for his neck and together they pulled him struggling to the bed and Harry sat beside him.

"Just give them a chance Ron; let them explain." Snape gave Harry a thanking look, he had never imagined being thankful for the son of his adolescent torturer, but just now Harry had proved himself to be more of a man than James ever was. Snape had always seen Harry as the image of his father, as had most, and hated him, but now, now things were different.

Hermione stood shocked, "Ron! I'm so sorry, please forgive me, are you alright, please be alright, I wasn't thinking, Ron, I'm so sorry, I didn't know what I was doing, all I could think about was you not hurting him." Ron rubbed his neck and scowled,

"So it's OK to strangle your best friend then is it?"

The rest of the house stood peering in through the door, Snape slammed it in their faces. Outside Mrs Weasley shooed the lot of them downstairs, she however remained at the door.

"Look Weasley, I think you've upset her enough –"

"Severus no, it's OK. He has the right to know. Ron, you know you can't help who you fall for, and sometimes through everything you fall for completely the wrong person, but you can't help it, sometimes if you're lucky they feel the same way, and sometimes it works. That's what happened here, there were no potions or anything involved, it just happened, nothing we could do could help it, we tried, oh we tried, but this is not the kind of feeling you can throw away easily."

"Very deep," he muttered, "so you just ignored the whole fact that it's illegal?"

"Weasley, rules can only tell you what to do, not what to feel," Snape who had previously been standing in silence saved Hermione from this question,

"Hmmph," Ron remained with his arms crossed and clicked his teeth, "Is there any reason why I shouldn't tell Dumbledore and get you expelled?"

"You just said it yourself Ron, you're my best friend, or at least you would be if you acted more like one, and besides Dumbledore already knows."

"What! You mean half the school knows and you couldn't even be bothered to tell me, your _best friend_?"

"Oh Ron –"

"Don't 'oh Ron' me!"

"I was going to but I couldn't summon up the courage and I didn't want to hurt you, not after…"

"Well don't you worry, I'm over that, seeing what a slut you really are. 'Couldn't summon up the courage'? I bet you felt dirty,"

"I don't! I feel happy, happier than I've been for a long time. Besides I _would_ have felt dirty if it wasn't for Harry."

"Oh yes, of course; _Harry_ knows, what do you mean?"

"Malfoy was blackmailing her, he was going to sleep with her." Harry was able to tell Ron what Hermione was too ashamed to. Ron's mouth swung open,

"The bastard!"

"Ron, it's OK, please, sit down. Look that's about it, can you leave us now? Can you understand?"

Reluctantly Ron nodded, "how many other people know? Are you going to make it public? Look I care about you too Hermione, I wouldn't want you to be unhappy, it's just weird, but if this is where you're happy…there's not much I can do. Just one more thing, have you, you know?"

"I think _that_'s just between the two of us don't you Weasley? As far as I know it's just Malfoy – but Dumbledore has silenced him somehow, Dumbledore of course, us, Lucius Malfoy - though whether Draco really has told him is debatable, but that would mean Death Eaters know. Look I don't know what Dumbledore's done, but he's been trying to cover it up, along with all the other things he has to do. Oh and I suppose the rest of them downstairs probably heard enough to get an idea. In reality we can't go public beyond this house. I am supposed to be dead you know," Snape sneered.

"Severus please, he's forgiven us, the least you could do is be grateful. Ron I'm so sorry, is your neck OK?"

"I'll live," he mumbled and opened the door, Mrs Weasley stood outside shell-shocked, "Mum?"

Hermione groaned and turned, the hem of her dress swirling around her.

"Look, we can deal with _you two_ in a minute. But Harry, it just think you ought to know, they've tracked your uncle down," Harry looked at her eagerly, for all his complaining he knew these people had brought him, they owed him something, "I'm afraid it's not good news."

**A/N: well that was random, as usual! I decided Ron ought to forgive them really; they need a few more people on their side. But believe me things are going to get nasty now. Like Hermione's little speech? I thought that was quite cute (but then I think most things are cute!). So I promise you won't have to wait very long for the next chapter. Any ideas for Vernon's terrible ordeal? I have an outline, just need some good ideas; I know I can trust _you_ to help.**


	15. With Or Without You

**A/N: Thank you for all your lovely (and very useful) reviews, I was glad to see a load of new people up there, I mean I love you guys who review every chapter, but it's great to see this is still attracting new readers. Some of you are beginning to see through parts of my 'cunning secret plan'… Which is great, I've been dropping subtle hints in every chapter and sometime will need to piece it together properly. Sometime…**

**Thank you:  
**PinkAphid: cliffies!  
Megamie: I'm glad you think so  
Kylala-San: Soon enough?  
Sweetsyphn: Thank you, v.helpful review   
Dimondcrystal124: we'll see, that's an idea but I don't want this to become too unrealistic  
Becky: a bit late, read on…  
Kana-Chan: I'm glad you decided to review; those are good points but I don't know whether to put too much of that in seeing as this is SSHG, but hey. A little bit in this chappie  
Natsuyori: you know how much I love cliff-hangers ;)

* * *

**With Or Without You**

Harry stood still for a moment, Mrs Weasley stroked his arm, "are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes," said Harry defiantly, Hermione and Ron came up behind him, forgetting their differences for a moment and each put an arm round his shoulder, Harry cast them a thankful look.

"OK, here goes, Harry I heard this from Dumbledore this morning, I didn't want to tell you but he says you're entitled to know. But he wants you to see him in his office as soon as you get back next week. This is what Dumbledore told me, I'm sure there's more that he hasn't or that he doesn't know.

"On leaving for work that morning he was intercepted by Death Eaters somewhere. I don't know what happened in terms of time but he was somewhere tortured for information. Dumbledore had been prepared for this of course and had locked some important information but obviously not well enough. Your uncle has told You-Know-Who many things that will be important to him. Like who your friends are, your closeness to Hagrid and most worrying the contents of the letter they were given when you were left on their doorstop."

Harry stared at her, even he had never known the contents of this letter, Hermione and Ron squeezed his shoulders comfortingly.

"And Harry, Dumbledore thinks that there are only two ways that he will have revealed these; either he was tortured but hut it would have to be a very strong wizard to break through any shield of Dumbledore's, or he told them of his free will, opposing Dumbledore's protection. I will say no more, except Merry Christmas and presents are downstairs."

"Harry –" Hermione started,

"If he told them freely does that mean that he has joined their side?" Harry asked,

"I don't know Harry, I just told you what Dumbledore told me, ask him when you get back. Come on Ron,"

"No, Mum, I'll come down in a minute," Ron turned to Harry and Hermione, I'm so sorry guys, I've been a right bastard I know. Forgive me?" he held his arms out and the three of them embraced,

"How sentimental," Snape sneered, Hermione span round and shoved him gently,

"Oi, you be nice."

"Yes, _Professor _now you and Hermione are a 'thing' she'll be nagging you the whole time, good luck," Ron gave him a roguish grin and he and Harry ran downstairs.

Hermione giggled, "They don't mean that, honestly."

"I know," he sighed,

"What's the matter?"

"I just can't help feeling that if Dumbledore had let me carry on then none of this would have happened, I mean with Potter's uncle, I could have found out quicker and stopped it." He sighed again, "but no, I was shut up in this little cage."

Hermione took his hand, "But you've got me now, come on, let's go and face the rest of them downstairs."

"Oh the joy, I can't wait."

_£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£_

Dumbledore arrived two days before the end of the holidays, after he had explained the situation to a hysterical Aunt Petunia he gathered the Weasley children, Harry and Hermione in the lounge. "Now I suggest you say goodbye to these people, you won't have a chance to see them for a while."

"But we can write can't we Professor?"

"No, I'm afraid Miss Granger that I will not be allowing you to correspond with members of this household by any way other than face-to-face. Now hurry up please; we need to get back." Hermione felt sure he winked at her,

Mrs Weasley already had tears streaming down her face as she said goodbye to Ginny, Harry was giving Dudley a rather cautious pat on the back, and Hermione and Snape stood facing each other. "Soon, we'll meet again soon I promise,"

"But Hermione, the watches?" he said in a hushed tone,

"Yes I know, they must be good enough, I mean 'face-to-face', they're watch faces!"

"When's a good time?" Snape asked, stroking her face,

"Evening, I don't know, look at the inside dial. I have to go now,"

"Yes, but, never mind." He bent down and much to the surprise of everyone else in the room kissed her tenderly on the lips, "let them see," he muttered.

"Severus!" Hermione cheeks were tinged pink,

"Next time I see you, where that dress; it makes you look so beautiful, even more than you already are of course," he fiddled with a lock of her hair.

"When you've quite finished, Sir," Ron started to pull Hermione away,

"Weasley, stay out of this," Snape said coldly,

"Severus, please –"

"I don't like his tone,"

"I'm sure there are a lot of things he doesn't like about you too, but please this isn't the right time."

They held each other close until their skin touched and Hermione squeezed Snape so tight he couldn't breathe for a few seconds, "Hermione, please, I'm not much use to you dead!"

"Sorry," she loosened her grip, "I just can bear it, leaving you again, especially now, it's OK, it really means something."

"Well you're going to have to some time soon, Dumbledore's looking at his watch." Snape tried to take her arms from around his neck, "Thank Hermione,"

She stood on her tiptoes and gave him one last gentle kiss, let go of his hand and turned to face the woollen object on the table; one of the hats she'd made for house elves in her fourth-year, she shuddered embarrassingly. Ron smirked at her.

"Everybody put one hand on your trunk and the other on the tea cosy," Dumbledore ordered

"Hat," said Hermione through gritted teeth,

She turned for one last look at Severus where he stood at the window. The first morning light shone through a gap in the ever-closed curtains, catching the amber of necklace so that it filled with light. Around them the room lit up with a dazzling gold light that shimmered over the walls and danced on the faces of all those in the room.

"One…two…three."

The room swirled away behind her as she flew through a vortex of colour and sound.

"Severus!"

* * *

**A/N: this ending is so soppy I know, thank you to sweetsyphn for the idea, I knew I had to do it somewhere, why not now. So we're not clear on Vernon yet, would you like me to tell you what Dumbledore knows? Or shall Harry just come back from going to see him and that's the end of that? Does anyone care about Vernon? Well I'll see what you guys think. Snape and Ron still not the best of mates, but what would you expect. Until we meet again my friends.**


	16. Gathering Dust

**A/N: Hello mey friends, hope everyone's OK. You're very good at giving my helpful reviews, cheers! Now, we moved forward in time a bit here; it's about the second week of January. Like it is in the 'real' world, know that place?  
****Thankyou:  
****Commodore Aetheflaed the Pink: :D  
****Witchintraining: hello! So it's not porn then! Are you still not getting my emails. Glad you like the little bits of  
humour  
****PinkAphid: forgiven lol  
****Kylala-san: I'm glad you've taken the time to read this  
****Ladyvohn: I've built up the whole Vernon thing here it will appear later again thank you for the helpful review  
****Natsuyori: quite the little couple now aren't they? ;)  
****Mysticalfairy-05: here's an update!  
****sarah loves carby: thank you :D  
****diamondcrystal124: well let's just say he has a part in my 'secret plan' ;)**

**Gathering Dust**

Hermione sat on her bed cross-legged with the curtains drawn around her. She knew the other girls in her dormitory were asleep but she couldn't be too careless.

"I'd better go, if I'm going to get any sleep tonight," she whispered

"I know, sorry, it's just hard you know?" a voice whispered,

"Goodnight,"

"Goodnight."

Hermione shut the clasp on her watch to hide the inside face and clambered into her bed, she pulled the duvet up over her head was soon asleep.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were helping teachers take down the last of the Christmas decorations in the Great Hall after breakfast. As well as earning them house points they were able to listen in on the teachers' conversations. Flitwick and McGonagall were discussing Alastor Moody again; he was often spoken of, as they still didn't know how he died or his killer. Hagrid was heaving the giant fir trees from the Hall and was chopping them outside to be used as firewood. It looked to Hermione as if the house-elves would have enough wood for the castle's many fires to last until next Christmas.

As they walked back to the Gryffindor common room they passed Dumbledore who beckoned to Harry, leaving Ron and Hermione alone.

"Thank you Ron, for forgiving me, it means a lot to me, and I'm sure to Severus too, though he might not show it."

"Well Christmas is a time of good will, just as long as you don't try to strangle me again,"

"Promise," she smiled at him and spoke the password to get into the common room. Students were already starting the weekend's homework and the floor was becoming steadily covered in books. "I thought we sorted out a tidying rota!"

"Hermione the house-elves tidy up, we don't need to."

"But it's awfully heartless just to leave things all over the floor. Hello Ginny, I hope you're going to put that piece of parchment in the bin." Ginny just managed to catch her crumpled History of Magic essay before it reached the floor.

"Ha Ginny, I never have to do History of Magic again!" Ron flicked his sister under the chin; she pushed him away, scowling.

"Ron, leave me alone, that's the third one I've had to do again, please just leave me alone!" she stormed off.

"Ron, look we had to go through all of that last year, try and be a bit more sympathetic." Hermione started picking bits of paper off the floor, Ron whispered a charm under his breath so that every time she came close to some rubbish it fluttered away in the other direction. He grinned widely whilst she got more and more infuriated. She stood up to find the whole common room looking at her, stifling grins. She could feel her cheeks flushing, "Ron," she muttered, "do you have to completely humiliate me."

He smiled cockily and with a flick of his wand sent all the paper flying into the bin. People around him cheered, "Excellent aim Ron," "Just don't let those Quaffles do that and you'll be fine," "Neat piece of magic there."

Hermione picked up her bag and strode to the library. She picked a table far away from anyone else and began to unload her bag. It was only when she put her books on the table she noticed someone sitting opposite her. "Sorry," she mumbled, "Oh Harry, hello."

"Hermione? What are you doing here?" Harry looked up from the table surface he'd been staring at.

"I was going to ask the same thing of you, Ron humiliated me in front of the entire house, I've just about had enough."

"I though you and him had made up again,"

"Well he still enjoys annoying me,"

"Don't let him get to you, save yourself for people you really hate, like Malfoy."

"Hmm…so what happened? What did Dumbledore say?"

_£$£$£$£$£$£$£_

"Take a seat please Harry," Dumbledore pulled the door up behind them, Harry sat down facing his desk. Dumbledore began to pace his study, exchanging small remarks with the portraits.

"Has my uncle joined the Dark side?" Harry asked,

Dumbledore drew up a chair and fixed his eyes on him, "I don't believe that Harry; for all your uncle's misdoings he wouldn't have done this. And do you really think that Lord Voldemort wants a Muggle on his side? No, I think he was blackmailed."

"They could have just killed him –"

"The Dark Lord's mind works in many ways, he is more cunning than you can ever imagine, he would never slaughter unnecessarily." Dumbledore lent forward, "your uncle would have been threatened with death but he held too much important information, he couldn't be killed. But he will not be set free; he will be used as a bargaining tool."

_£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£_

"You see Hermione? I'm torn in two, I know the Dursleys never exactly treated me well, but they did bring me up, they didn't leave me at an orphanage or anything; I do owe them something." Harry pummelled his knuckles into the wall,

"Harry," Hermione but her arm out to stop him, "stop it Harry, you'll hurt yourself. Don't you have Quidditch after lunch?"

"Yeah, I'd forgotten about that, let's go and find Ron," Harry rubbed his sore knuckles.

"No, you go I'll meet you there, give you a chance to tell him." Hermione began her Potions essay. "See you in a bit."

She watched Harry out of the door and then continued, after a few minutes she noticed a small voice whispering her name; looking around her she saw no one. And then she remembered the watch. She prized the latch open and saw Snape's face looking back at her.

"Severus! I'm in the library for goodness sake," she hissed

"I know, but I need to speak with you,"

"You spoke to me last night!"

"There's no need to get ratty with me, I mean who are you? My mother?" he smirked,

"Shut up!" she hissed, but gently

"We're not an old married couple Hermione, and in case you hadn't noticed I'm just a couple of decades older than you. Look I need to tell you something," his tone became more urgent,

"Here? Now? I'm trying to do my homework,"

"There are a lot more important things in life than homework, and this is one." He looked deep into her eyes, she sighed and shut her books.

"There, see, all gone. Now what did you want to tell me?"

"I want to tell you something that I don't think Dumbledore knows yet –"

"How come you are more likely to find something out than him and you're in that house all the time?"

"Never mind how I found out, you need to know."

**A/N: More cliffhangers :D Sorry I'm so evil. These things all really mounting up though. So any ideas people will be willing to contribute, I do use your ideas, just take a look around. Reviews always welcome!**


	17. One Step Closer

**A/N: More than 100 reviews! falls over in her seat and looks at computer screen to see if there is some mistake Well, I better start improving. Thank you so much everyone! That's really made my day, no my week, or even my month! Well actually I think the Titan landing might have beaten that, but hey.  
****Anyway before I wattle on too much it's that time again, (I'm sorry guys but I'm limiting comments to people who write more than 'update soon' or whatever, sure thanks but I've run out of inspirational replies!)  
****Random person with no name: thanks, I have a funny feeling I know you. Name might be helpful!  
****Mysticalfairy-05: sorry I think this is going to annoy you!  
****Natsuyori: you better get your dogs out again!**

**One Step Closer**

"Severus?" she whispered, and then again more urgently, "Severus?"

His face was gone. She looked worriedly at the opposite face; a small silver hand was pointing to a symbol that looked like a skull. She gasped and then shook herself, he couldn't be dead, that was a grave symbol she knew that. But a skull, this must mean something like danger.

She sighed, "Severus, thank you so much, I just put all my books away so you could tell me something and now you're in danger, thanks a lot."

She couldn't think of anything she could do, she didn't know where he was or what had happened to him. She picked up her bag and headed for Dumbledore's office. When she got there Hagrid was just about to enter, he smiled at her, "what yeh doin' up 'ere Hermione?"

"I need to speak to Professor Dumbledore, is he here?"

"Sure he is, I just goin' up meself, dunno if you can come though."

"He'll let me Hagrid, once I've told him." Hagrid smiled again and let her come in front of him,

"So what yeh goin' to see him about then?" Hagrid squeezed himself into the narrow stairway.

"Oh nothing really," Hermione looked away,

"I see," Hagrid started whistling to himself. Soon they reached the door at the top, Hermione stood back from the door whilst Hagrid knocked. He knocked once and the whole door shook.

"Hagrid! Come in." Dumbledore's voice called out hurriedly before Hagrid was able to break the door,

"Hello Professor Dumbledore, Sir. I've come to see yeh 'bout what we discussed earlier, yeh know?"

"Yes, of course, come in," Hermione sneezed loudly, echoing around the stairwell. "Good morning Miss Granger, that's two of you in one morning, I am getting popular. Would you like to wait outside?"

Hermione nodded and shut the door behind Hagrid; she slouched against the wall and looked at the watch again. Still the hand was fixed on the skull. Half-an-hour later Hagrid came out looking disgruntled, he said goodbye to Hermione and went back down the stairs. Hermione walked into Dumbledore's office, squeezing her stomach in to try and stop it from rumbling. But almost as if he had guessed there was a platter of sandwiches on his desk.

"All this talking has made me very hungry and I expect you haven't had lunch yet Miss Granger. Ham sandwich?" he held one out she accepted it trying to stop herself from giggling; she knew this wasn't the time. "So I don't think you've just come to see me because of my delicious sandwiches, what is it?"

She gulped and began, "Professor Dumbledore I think that Sev…Professor Snape is in danger."

"Why should you think this? You have not spoken to him since the day you left the house."

"Yes, well, you see, for Christmas I got us these watches, with two-way mirrors," she held hers out, it seemed to do all the explaining she needed, Dumbledore's eyes glazed over a little and his face looked dreamy for a second as if he was remembering some sweet pleasure he had had like this, but then it was gone.

"These have the faces on the inside that tell you about the other wearer, am I right?"

"Yes," she unlatched it; Dumbledore peered down at the face over his half-moon glasses.

"The skull; grave peril," he said as if reciting from a well-read book. He looked puzzled, "I was sure they were safe there,"

"There is one other thing, Professor, he was just saying to me that he knew something even you didn't know yet, he was about to tell me and then he disappeared." Hermione looked at Dumbledore, "what do you think has happened to him?"

"I can't understand how he could come into danger in the house, I am the Secret Keeper, and people can only come and go by my permission. The only thing I can think of is that he is not in the house." Hermione looked at her feet, "Miss Granger?"

"He was so fed up, he kept telling me, he said he wanted to get out, he felt like a wild animal in a zoo." Hermione said,

"But surely he knew it was for his own good?"

"Did he?"

"Hermione, do you have any idea where he might be?"

"No, but if he's in danger that must mean they've got him."

Dumbledore pressed the tips of his fingers together and stared blankly across the room, she could tell he was concentrating very hard. "Miss Granger, you are not to breathe a word of this to anyone, two people close to Harry gone, this is already too many. I must alert the Order, we must launch an investigation. We will do everything we can, but you must understand; this is Lord Voldemort returned, he is greater and more cunning this time. This is no playground bully. Please don't worry yourself or anyone else; if you are needed I will call for you. But for now, continue to work hard, school is the most important thing for you right now."

"That's what Severus said, but does no one understand how difficult it is to concentrate if all of this is going on?" she asked angrily,

"We can't simply ask Voldemort to take a break whilst you do your homework, and be grateful you have less to carry than many of us, Harry for example."

She stopped her planned retort, and looked at the ground, "sorry Professor, I'd better go."

She opened the door and descended the stairs, she went straight back to the library and did her homework quickly. Dumbledore's sandwich proved to be wholesome enough to fill her appetite until dinner time when she finally came out of the library. She put her bag back in her dormitory and met Harry and Ron in the common room.

"Hello, how was Quidditch?"

"Wet," muttered Ron, as he towelled his hair,

"I think swimming is a more appropriate word," said Harry gloomily, Hermione peered out one of the slit windows onto the grey world around them.

"Oh well, let's hope there's something nice for dinner."

A few minutes later they were in the Great Hall tucking into shepherd's pie, the sky above them darkening and every now and again emitting lightning that made some of the younger students squeal. They walked back to the common room in silence, hearing nothing but the roar of thunder outside from the ever worsening storm. They bade each other goodnight and Hermione went up the stairs to her dormitory. She changed into her nightgown and sat shivering on her bed with the curtains drawn; she crawled inside the covers and was just about to go to sleep when she heard a voice whispering her name softly. Immediately she looked at her watch, unlatching it she saw a luminous face in the dark staring at her. "Sorry I got a bit held up."

**A/N: Possibly the most evil thing to happen yet has already started. But what? This is so evil that I'm actually wondering whether to do it or not. But believe me it'll make a great story line. Ouch! Anyway, hope you liked that, sorry you still don't know what he wanted to tell her and you've got another cliff hanger. But you know. Reviews always welcome!**


	18. Trust

**A/N: Sorry about my unhealthy number of cliff hangers! I promise this ends much better. This is just another of those 'in between' chapters, so not much action. Anyway, I'm babbling, so:  
****WickedMoonie: Sorry! I didn't realise quite how many cliff hangers I have. But this is better.  
****Mysticalfairy-05: I think you might have got a bit of my evil idea…

* * *

**

**Trust**

"Sorry I got a bit held up."

"Don't worry, I forgive you. But where have you been? I was so worried. I went straight to Dumbledore of course but he was being particularly elusive."

"What? Why did you go to Dumbledore? I'm fine," he snapped,

"OK, I'm sorry, I was just worried that's all; you stopped in mid-sentence. Does it really matter anyway? How are you? Where are you?" she whispered,

"I'm fine, the reason I broke off was because someone was watching me, I couldn't let them see this wonderful gift could I?" she smiled at her,

"True," she smiled back, "Sorry Severus, it's just been a hard day."

"On Potter?" he asked,

"I don't know I was in the library all day, but he did go to see Dumbledore about his uncle. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, just wondered, so what did Dumbledore tell him?" Snape asked eagerly,

"Don't you already know? I'd have thought that being in the house with the Dursleys they might tell you something."

"Nothing; that's how much Dumbledore values me,"

"Don't put it like that, look I'd rather Dumbledore told you himself, it would be safer."

"What!" he snapped, "Don't you trust me?"

"Severus? Of course I trust you, I love you, and does anything else matter? Are you sure you're OK? You sound a bit uneasy." She said concernedly,

"What does it matter? Look sorry I snapped, I'm fine really just stressed. So you're not going to tell me anything about Potter?"

"I told you, ask Dumbledore."

"OK then," he sighed, annoyed, "bye,"

"Goodnight."

"Honestly," she spoke aloud to herself, "What's got into him? He was really weird, as if he didn't care about me at all; he just wanted to know about Harry."

She snuggled back under her duvet and was soon asleep. When she woke early on the next morning; Monday, the storm had cleared and the frost on the grounds was beginning to melt. A robin stood perched on her window sill, she quietly opened the window and let his sweet melody consume her as she sat beside it, soaking in the first rays of sunshine on the chilly January morning. Soon the other girls in her dormitory were awake and made their way down to breakfast. After breakfast she was walking with Harry and Ron to Charms when again she heard a voice calling her name, she left the crowds to go into a bathroom and there inspected her watch.

"Severus! I'm supposed to go to Charms, I haven't got time for this, Severus?" she looked at him, his face was pale and dirty, and his hair was all over his face.

"Hermione," he whispered, "tell Dumbledore – Macnair took house, being used, position unknown – I have to go Hermione, please tell Dumbledore, don't trust me if I appear,"

"What? Don't trust you?"

"It's not me; I'm –"he disappeared.

"No! Please, come back! I don't understand." She sighed and hurried off to Charms. The lesson was just theory so she wrote a note Dumbledore explaining what had just happened, she sealed it so that only the true recipient could open it and she gave to Flitwick at the end of the lesson.

"Excuse me Sir, could you give this to Professor Dumbledore, it's important," she bent down to look at Flitwick and put emphasis on the word important. He nodded and winked,

"Yes of course Miss Granger, I'll do it right away."

The next of the morning continued as normal until lunchtime when Dumbledore pulled Hermione out of the crowd into a small unused classroom.

"Sir?"

"Miss Granger, thank you for your message, it seems we have a problem, nothing for you to worry about though. Apart from what he said at the end; 'don't trust me if I appear', I think this must mean something is going on that involves you. Just be calm; don't breathe a word of anything that we have talked about to _anyone_, I don't know the full extent of this myself." He opened the door and walked out swiftly, she ran to the door but he was already gone.

The rest of the day was normal; they still got large amounts of homework and spent most of the evening doing this in silence in the common room. Many students, primarily fifth- and seventh-years were very snappy and most of the younger students went to their rooms earlier than usual. When they'd finally finished Harry, Ron and Hermione sat beside the fire and talked for half-an-hour, until Hermione announced she'd had enough and was going to bed; the common room was slowly emptying so they left Ginny drawing charts of Jupiter's moons.

Hermione climbed into bed but did not go to sleep; she lay on her back looking up at the ceiling through the opening of the curtains on her bed, waiting to hear her name being called. It did not take long.

"Hermione?" it whispered,

"Hello again lovely, twice in a day I am lucky,"

"What do you mean?" he demanded, "Twice?"

"Yes, don't you remember? This morning before lessons, you gave me that message for Dumbledore. Remember?" there was a silence; she looked at him, "Severus?"

"Yes! I remember now," he said finally,

"Oh good, so are you feeling better now?"

"Fine. How was everything today?"

"Oh normal, you know, homework in mountains of course. But I couldn't stop thinking about you,"

"Spare me the sentiment girl, for god's sake. How was Potter?" she rolled his eyes at her,

"What? Are you calling me 'girl' again?" she raged, "you can't talk about sentiment; you are all over me sometimes. And why do you care so much about Harry? It's me you love isn't it?"

"Yes of course, but I just like to know what's going on."

"Well Harry's fine then if that's what you want."

"Right then, bye."

"Charming…"

"Well want do you want me to do?"

"Be nice to me perhaps" she muttered, "night."

Again she noticed his peculiar manner, but she was too tired to care, she fell asleep and recuperated for the next day.

* * *

**A/N: See; no cliff hanger! So anyone guessed yet, like I said, someone getting it last time. This was much more obvious though. Sorry this is very short but just realised I really should practise my guitar sometime before midnight. Anyway, hope you liked that little 'in between chapter'.**


	19. Somewhere We Don't Know

**A/N: I think I went a _bit_ over the top with Hermione's ignorance last chapter didn't I? I wanted to give the reader superiority, something this fic lacks because so much of it is told from one point of view, so we can only see through their eyes. But she's much less stupid here, anyway.  
****Mysticalfairy-05: yeay! I think you're getting it!  
****Natsuori: guitars rock! Glad you liked it.  
****Everyone lese: so Hermione was dumb, read the AN at top.**

**Somewhere We Don't Know**

When Hermione woke up the first thing she remembered was Snape's peculiar tone last night, it all came flying back to her; images, voices and suddenly she realised, she stuffed her fist in her mouth to cover her scream. How had she not realised, all of yesterday she'd been pulled along, she thought of last night, what had she said to the man who so obviously wasn't Snape? She'd commented on how she'd seen him already that day – he would have realised that Snape had contacted her, what would happen to Snape now? Would he be subjected to more torture than he had clearly already had?

A long cold shiver trickled down her spine and she shuddered, she dressed quickly and sat at the end of her bed wondering what to do. She could tell Dumbledore, but it was her mess and she didn't want to worry him any more. She would find Snape and rescue. Farfetched. But possible. Harry and Ron might help, and she knew something at least; 'Macnair took house, being used, position unknown' - Macnair must have taken the house, Snape and the others were probably being used for information and Snape didn't know where they were.

Her head told her that she was getting Harry's 'hero bug' but her heart told a different story. She had found someone special, someone that made life worth living, and she had probably caused great pain to him, she had to do something and quickly. She went down to the common room where Harry and Ron were just appearing from the boys' staircase. She beckoned them into a corner and told them everything.

"- I told you, from now on I tell you everything and I did. So what are we going to do?"

"You mean you actually want to go somewhere we don't know and save Snape from an ex-Ministry executioner?" Ron guffawed, "are you completely insane?"

"But Ron, it's not just Severus, it'll be your parents too, and Harry's family; I'm betting Vernon's there. This time it's real, not just Dumbledore trying to hide them."

"I trusted him," muttered Harry, "I thought he would be able to hide them but now this happens…"

"Don't worry Harry; it'll be OK in the end. So who wants to come with me?" Hermione looked at them both,

"Hermione, we don't even know _where_ we're going!" exclaimed Ron,

"And how it's going to work," added Harry,

"You two have no faith in me; I can understand you not thinking it'll work but don't you want to do something, just for the people you love?" Harry and Ron nodded, "well then, we better start planning." This wasn't exactly a positive decision but none of them trusted Dumbledore now and they all wanted to help the people in need, so they decided grimly, to go for it.

"I think the first thing we need to know is where they are," Harry began to direct the operation, "Hermione can you try to contact the real Snape? We'll try to look for clues as to where Death Eater's might be, Malfoy may be the best place to start, we could try the whole Polyjuice Potion thing," Ron and Hermione both threw him disgusted looks, "or not."

They went down to breakfast in silence; they all knew what they had to do. Hermione's eyes glanced to the staff table where Professor Infelix was sitting in Snape's chair, Snape would defineatly not want _that_ when he came back, if he came back, if he was still alive. The day's lessons were attended solomly by the three of them, at lunch they each posted themselves near a group of Slytherin's in hope of catching some clues, but they were too well-known and unable to be inconspicious. Ron came back with a bruised cheek and was rubbing his back.

"Can we try a different technique? I don't particularly want to be used as a punch-bag." Harry nodded,

"This isn't working, of course I now know everything there is to know about Theodore Nott's lovelife but nothing about his dad.

"I think we should still try Malfoy; he's always bragging about something, it shouldn't be too hard,"

"But he's dangerous Hermione, he'll tell his dad and we'll get back into the viscious circle again." Harry sighed,

"OK," said Hermione, "I'll try Severus tonight, but you two shouldn't give up."

After dinner and homework Hermione went quickly to her dormitory and was the first one in. She performed a charm that would not let sound out from inside her curtains, sat on her bed and drew them around her. Now she could shout all she wanted and no-one would hear her. She called his name several times, eventually a face appeared, and she was pretty certain that it was really him.

"Hermione!" he rasped, "why? It's too dangerous,"

"Shh, it's OK Severus, I know what's going on, but can you tell me where you are?"

"Why? Does Dumbledore need to know?"

"Something like that," she muttered,

"To be honest I have no idea, except that it's dark, cold and has big dungeons. You realise what could happen to me if I get caught using this watch again?"

"I know, I'm sorry about yesterday, I didn't understand,"

"You are supposed to be the cleverest witch of your age, and you couldn't understand that?" he snorted,

"Stop it!" she giggled, "I was a little slow yesterday. Are the others with you? And Vernon Dursley?"

"They are, but not Dursley, I don't where he is,"

"How did you get hold of this again, I'd of thought they'd put tighter security on it," she said,

"Let's just say I have many ways of doing things Hermione Granger, many that you won't approve of." He smiled at her, "I think I can hear someone –"

She buried her face in her hands, again he would suffer on her behalf; she had to do something. She sat up and began to think of all the Death Eaters who might have cold, dark dungeons; she shivered just at the thought. There was Lucius Malfoy of course, but that was too obvious, everyone knew about him and his home, it would be someone more elusive, somewhere they hadn't thought about. But they'd have to think about it, and think about it soon.

**A/N: That was random… So Hermione's much cleverer here, see; she was just having a bad day yesterday, now she's ready for action. They are a bit stupid though aren't they? They don't even know the hell where they're going but that's something to teach us all; they're doing it for the people they love. Cute. Reviews welcome – you might have noticed a few slip-ins of some things you mention in you're reviews, so cheers.**


	20. Tangled Web

**A/N: Hello my friends, liking the ideas you're getting especially mysticalfairy-05, you've given me some great stuff - we'll see about doing a Sirius ;)  
****Hope everyone is well and what have you, umm I seem to be babbling pointlessly already. Oh well.  
****Just had to rewrite half of this – cookiefudgedoughmintchip PinkAphid will know that writing in Shakespearean language leaves you scarred (I wrote a lot of this in a very old fashioned way, but don't worry, most of it's gone!)**

**Tangled Web**

The weeks that followed passed quickly and soon it was the last few days of January. Harry, Ron and Hermione, previously so keen to help their families had been hindered by copious amounts of homework, even by Hermione's standards. And secretly she couldn't help feeling that someone was trying to inhibit their actions by overloading them with homework. They made little progress in discovering more information, except that Malfoy definitely seemed cockier and had an air of knowing something they didn't. Also Hermione noted that Dumbledore had not asked any of them to see him, surprising seeing as they were quite involved in these problems. She put her worries to one side however and persevered with her work.

She hadn't spoken to Severus since their brief words weeks ago and she was finding it hard to carry on. Every corner she turned and he brushed past her, every door she opened and he was behind it, every face she looked at and she saw his. But she just blinked and carried on. Harry and Ron had noticed her heavy heart and though they too were finding it hard, they went out of their way to help her. Giving her encouraging smiles, holding doors open for her and not running ahead of her, but to stay by her side.

Hermione had been so immersed in her own thought that she had hardly noticed her friends' help; it was only when Ron got fed up of her silence that she really appreciated them.

"Hermione? Look at me when I'm speaking to you, you're being a selfish cow you know? My parents have disappeared – I haven't even spoken to them, look at me Hermione! And Harry, how do think Harry is supposed to deal with this? And he is going out of his way to help you; he's doing everything you can to cheer you up. The least you could do is be grateful," salty tears trickled down his face, "you're not the only one who feels pain." He turned on his heel and walked off.

She looked up, distraught, "Wait Ron! Wait, please, I'm sorry, it's just been –"

"I've heard enough of your excuses."

She sighed deeply and crossed her arms, hiding herself away. She heard footsteps along the corridor and saw the hem of a black cloak swing around the corner. Harry came past, his face tinged red. He saw Hermione and nearly tripped over.

"Hermione! What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing, are you OK?"

"I'm fine," his face flushed more as he became conscious of her stare,

"Really?"

"Of course I am, come on."

Harry started to walk towards the common room but Hermione grabbed him by the arm and held him tight. "I'm sorry for being such a cow, thank you for being so nice, but it's my turn now."

"Umm, Hermione, do you think you could let go please, I'm finding it slightly hard to breathe."

"How adorable Potter's finally realised where he belongs; back with the rest of the Mudbloods. But really Granger; your dear Professor should not have been so foolish to pick such an unfaithful piece of scum to set his heart on. Yes I hear he's besotted with you, even talks about you in his dreams, we've had a good laugh about that."

Hermione let go of Harry and he would have fallen to the floor if there hadn't been a wall behind him; conveniently cold and hard to hit his head on. He got up clutching his head whilst colours span before his eyes.

"Do you mean he's alive? You know where he is?" Hermione leapt at Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle as ever his formidable bodyguards stepped forward. She pointed her finger at him, "Tell me!"

"Get away from me you animal, call yourself a witch? I wouldn't call you a human. Missing lover boy already are you? How would I know if he's alive? It's not as if I'm connected to the Dark Lord or anything is it?" Crabbe and Goyle grinned rather toothless grins.

Harry snarled, "You know perfectly well what she means Malfoy, and what's going on, I watch your mouth."

"Planning on another of your whirlwind adventures Potter? You wish. Somehow I think this might be beyond your limit, Dolohov's a pretty dangerous man."

"Dolohov?"

"Sorry?" said Malfoy, "did I say something?" He smirked and quickly walked away.

"Harry, do you have a feeling he wanted us to know?" Hermione asked,

"Yes, I know he would have been more careful if he didn't. Maybe his Dad wants us barking up the wrong tree; give us a false trail."

"Perhaps, or maybe they want to lead you somewhere, like with the Department of –" she stopped mid-word,

"Of Mysteries, yes I know. Last time I did something like this someone died. Could I risk it again?"

"But Harry, it's you I worry about the most, you never care for yourself."

"I hate myself Hermione; too many people have died because of me, I don't want to be the cause of all these deaths, I'd rather just get it over with and fight him myself." Harry clenched his fists,

"Are we going to ask Dumbledore for help?"

"Why should we? He couldn't keep them safe." Harry's face darkened,

"But just as a backup?"

"This was your idea, are you still up for it? Or would you rather stay and watch them all die?"

"That's not what I want!" she sighed,

"Then what do you propose?"

"I'm still in. Are we going for Dolohov then?" she asked,

"That's my first choice," said Harry defiantly. "We have to find him."

**A/N: Sorry that was v.short, but I had to finish there really and I think this chapter's ok. We are missing the romance though! This is getting very complicated! Oh well, so something is defiantly going on now. But what? I'll have to think about that one lol. So anyone able to just push that little button is very welcome.**


	21. The Search Intensifies

**A/N: Hello again, I'm afraid it's another short one, but will definitely get you thinking… Not much else I can say really. Title is extremely crap I know**

**The Search Intensifies**

Hermione woke early; she, Harry and Ron had agreed to get up before anyone else so they could talk. A weak sun was shinning feebly through the curtains as she rose. She went into the adjacent bathroom and washed her face with ice cold water to wake herself up properly. She shivered and almost let out a yelp. She looked into the mirror and noticed how pale her face was, she felt something bitter rise in her throat and she gagged, she went straight to toilet and bent down over it. She pulled her hair from her face just in time as a torrent of vomit gush into the toilet. She wobbled back to the sink and tried to scrub the acrid gunk away, she drank a glass of water and looked back into the mirror. She saw an ashen face, with a vomit stained mouth and heavy bags under her eyes. She hadn't slept again last night.

"Eewh, Hermione! Have you been sick again?" Lavender came into the bathroom holding her nose, "I hope you haven't got some horrible disease you're going to give us."

"I'm OK, probably just ate something nasty, it'll be gone in a few days,"

"You said that all of last week!"

"Well I don't know, do I?"

"Go and see Madame Pomfrey if you're ill."

"Have a nice day Lavender," she dressed and went down to the common room, Harry and Ron stood there, bleary-eyed, Ron yawned widely.

"Hello Hermione, are you still ill?" asked Ron, "Cos if you don't mind me saying, you look shit."

"Oh thank you, that really makes me feel so much better," she mumbled harshly,

"No need to get moody, I'm just telling you like it is,"

"You really should go and see Madame Pomfrey," Harry looked at her,

"I'm fine, honestly, you shouldn't be worrying about me; it's _them_ we have to worry about."

"So," Harry said as the walked down a small secret passageway that was hidden behind one of Hogwarts' many tapestries, "We know that Dolohov has been seen a lot in London, and seems to be using the Tube."

"This might mean that where he's got them is somewhere accessible by Tube. What buildings do we know in London that have dark cold dungeons?" Hermione thought aloud.

"That's it Hermione! It must one of those buildings, like the London dungeons, and, and…I don't know any others, the only times I go to London is to get the train to school." Harry looked slightly shameful,

"OK then what about – the Tower of London, that place has dungeons." Ron added,

"Why don't we look in the library to see if there are any places in London – with dungeons – associated with Dark wizards, which should give us somewhere to start."

So they traipsed down to the library and began to search for anything remotely related to what they were doing.

££££££

"Find anything?" Ron asked,

"Nothing," replied Harry, "I don't know how we're going to do this,"

They looked over at Hermione, who was sitting on the other side of the room, next to a tall tower of books that she was steadily going through, searching every page.

Ginny appeared behind them, "Hey! What are you two doing?"

"Work, this is a library you know," Ron growled,

"Pardon me for asking, do you know when we'll get to see Mum and Dad again?"

Harry elbowed Ron in the ribs; he scowled at him, "What was that for?"

"Have you told her?" Ron looked shocked, he'd known all this time, but he had not told his sister, she had just as much right as he did to know.

"Ginny, please don't tell anyone, but we think Mum and Dad and everyone else has been taken by You-Know-Who," Ginny gasped and went pale, "we're trying to find them."

"I'll help, please let me, and tell me everything, what's Dumbledore doing?" she looked hard at them both,

"We're not telling Dumbledore what we're doing, he was supposed to protect them and he's already failed that. We're doing this alone."

"Am I in though?"

Ron looked at Harry, who nodded, "just don't tell anyone, OK? This is what we know…"

££££££

And so the four of them spent the rest of the morning pouring over books, looking for the merest reference to their cause. And found nothing.

Harry and Ron quickly grew weary and began to work slower, being less receptive. Unlike Hermione who sat resolutely on the edge of her seat going through page after page of books until she was reading in a mad frenzy.

Harry and Ron took another break, "We have to stop her, she'll hurt herself reading that quickly,"

"She's so desperate," Harry sighed, "Do you think that's why she's been ill? Because she's so worked up and anxious?"

"Probably, but I mean it's only about a month since she last saw him and she was talking to him until he got caught," Ron looked over to her again,

"It's not just Snape though is it?"

"I think she feels that it's all her fault,"

"It's mine though really, if I'd never been born none of this would ever have happened," Harry groaned,

"Harry! Don't think like that! If you'd never been born things would have been a whole lot worse, You-Know-You would be doing whatever he wanted, no-one would be safe."

"No-one is safe Ron."

"Come on, let's get her to lunch."

They walked over to Hermione and coaxed her out of her chair,

"No! Look, I just need to finish this book," Ginny grabbed her arm as it flung out, "please,"

"We can come back after lunch, but you're starving yourself here Hermione, you need to eat girl," Ron pulled her up under her armpits,

"Ron!" she blushed deeply, "I'm perfectly capable of getting up myself thank you. Come on then, we need to be quick eating, this is really important. I think I may have found something."

**A/N: The most random chapter yet? Hmm, l think something's going on here. We'll see where it goes, anyone know any London buildings with dungeons because I could only think of the two above and they're not very good, just for examples you know? Reviews always accepted gladly.**


	22. Nightmares on the Underground

**A/N: As the title might suggest, 'reader' was very helpful and also things are getting darker. There is one slightly gruesome description later on, so just to warn you…  
****Also Duchess1, are you OK, cos I'd feel pretty bad if I'd stayed up till 4am reading**

**Nightmares on the Underground**

Hermione wouldn't say anything over lunch but when they'd finished they rushed back to the library and found an alcove to hide in.

"So Hermione, what have you found?" asked Harry, Ron and Ginny looked at her with a remorseful eagerness.

"I found lots of references to Dark Wizards around cellars in Barbican, there are none along here now, but there is Fenchurch St. Station, and we know Dolohov's been seen around there."

"So?" asked Ron,

"So, I think something's going on there. I also remember reading a Muggle newspaper article a while ago saying that there had been quite a few murders and missing people around there, and that part of the tube had been closed down due to disrepair. A part of the Underground that is not very deep. Think about it, put it all together, and…" she looked at them all,

"And…that could mean Dolohov's using part of the tube there, which may connect to old cellars used by Dark wizards before him; he'll use Fenchurch St. Station as it's fairly central, and take Muggles down there. And now maybe these people." Harry was on the home-straight, and had to take a few deep breaths at the end of his sentence.

"Exactly what I was thinking Harry," Hermione smiled at him,

"How do we know this?" Ron mumbled,

"Yes," said Ginny, "all we have is a few ideas, we're not gallivanting off to London again just because someone has an idea. Sorry Harry, I didn't mean-"

"I know, last time we did, awful things happened, I never want to take that risk again," Harry turned away,

"OK, so not now then, but we must act soon or something will happen. I think we should really make sure this idea is valid and then we can think about action." Hermione took the lead as usual.

* * *

Hermione was alone in her room again, it was Sunday evening and she'd just finished her homework. At least she'd had a more pleasant day; no vomiting in the morning, her stomach bug most be getting better, and dinner had been very delicious. The only thing she was unsure about was her period, she was sure she should have had one at least two weeks ago, but it was often late, and besides she had more important things to think about.

"Severus? Severus?" she whispered into the watch, she hadn't dared to use for the past month but now she really needed to talk. She sat on the edge of her bed gently calling his name, after about twenty times she was beginning to lose hope when she saw a frail gaunt face peering blearily back at her,

"Hermione?" he rasped, almost as if he had forgotten how to use his voice.

"Severus!" she smiled and felt tears streaming down her cheeks, "are you OK?"

"That's a bit of a brainless question don't you think?"

"Glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humour. Are you going to get into awful trouble using this again?"

"I don't think it could get much worse than it already is," his eyes averted her gaze,

"What d'you mean?"

"I don't know where I am but it feels more like a tunnel than a dungeon and there are bodies strewn across the floors. There's a large channel thing at one side and it's full of rotting bodies. Dried blood on the walls and all I can smell is decomposing flesh, flies and maggots everywhere and peoples' skin is turning a sickly green." He spat the words out of his mouth as if they were acidic.

"Severus," she looked horrified, "Do you think you might be in the Muggle Underground?"

"Well it's definitely underground here."

"We think you might be near Fenchurch St. Station, we're coming to rescue you soon, don't worry."

"NO! You can't come here; it's awful, Muggles and Wizards, all dead. I don't know how long they've been using this for, but I think I'll be joining them soon enough. They got Dedalus Diggle last week," Hermione put her hand to her mouth, "poor old man, he was brave put up a good fight but he was thrown on the pile with the rest of them in the end. Some they don't bother to duel with, they just get it over and done with, but there are special cases as with everything."

"And you'd know all about that of course," she wept bitterly,

"Never talk to me about those days! Do you understand? I will here no more about that, ever." She snarled at her, in a way she'd never seen before,

"I didn't mean it like that. I love you Severus."

"I know,"

"So we'll do what we can here," she smiled at him again,

"What's Dumbledore doing then?" he looked at her, "Hermione?"

"Harry and Ron don't want to tell him, they think he couldn't keep you safe so they don't trust him any more."

"What happened was NO fault of Dumbledore's. tell him, tell him now, go, goodbye. Tell Dumbledore."

She looked at him, half-scared, he ws obviously having a very traumatic experience, but she couldn't go against her word to Harry and Ron.

"Hermione promise me you'll go and tell him now…"

"I…"

"Promise me! – Argh!" there was a scream and his face disappeared.

"Severus!" she shrieked, her face reddening, "No!"

**A/N: I've realised that some might liken his experience to that of the Holocaust, this was not my original intention of course, but I do see Voldemort as a very Hitler-like figure; trying to eradicate those he sees as impure. I did in no way wish to offend and I sincerely apologise if I did, if people think it completely unjust I will of course edit the chapter. Please tell me your thoughts via review.**

**But anyway, that was kind of dark, I'm sure the next chapter will be too. But hey, we might get the romance back in soon. Oooh, anyone got any opinions about Hermione's predicament?**

**See you, thanks for reading:D**


	23. Running To Stand Still

**A/N: The more delicate among you might not like the next 400 words or so, keep that in mind. Some how this fic might lose its PG-13 rating, if you get my drift…  
****PinkAphid: how many times? No!  
****Witchintraining: you have the best ideas! Of course. The ideas you said in your email were great, sorry I was booted off the computer before I told you that.  
****DemonofDoom: I just love cliff-hangers! There will be happy ending. At the end, not now!  
****Duchess1: I'm not giving anything away; you'll just have to wait ;) thanks for what you said about Holocaust comparisons, made me feel a lot better.  
****Natsuyori: You know me! Are you quoting Rupert Grint!  
****SaintEmO: don't be rude to my characters! ;) I'll play them how I like. Though yes she can be a bit dumb, but like all v.clever academic people, she has no common sense.  
****J: I think I am going a bit over the top with the suspense thing…  
****Daniher21: This is a weird story I know  
****MorganLupin: Supsense ;)  
****Kylala-San: yes it is getting crazy now  
****I just wrote to all of you? OK, I must be really bored now. Enjoy…or not.**

**Running To Stand Still**

Hermione closed her eyes again, praying this time she wouldn't see his face again; his pale, gaunt, emotionless face branded onto the back of her eyelids. She turned over onto her back and lay looking at the ceiling. Her hand slowly reached down to her belly, she gently stroked it, feeling her cold flesh against her own hand. Could their possibly be a life in there? A little candle that had just been lit? She didn't want to believe it but something, some part of her deep inside, was showing itself for the first time; this could be her child.

She'd not thought about until she had into bed, but though this everything connected. She had shown all the signs after all. And that night; Christmas Eve when she had finally shown Severus how much he meant to her, could that have been the beginning? If that was true then she would be about eight weeks pregnant, she should really check. She longed to feel his naked skin on hers once again, so close, so warm. And as she slept she began to remember the details of that night, the night that would shape her future.

* * *

He pulled her into to him, pressing his own naked body against hers. She ran her hands along his back; the smell of him and the warmth of him made her dizzy, his hands were on her leg, pressing her tighter towards him. And then gently up her thigh, to her waist, and then one moved higher. She blushed and tried to pull away, but he was kneading her breast, caressing her gentle curves. They were pressed together, hugging each other so close she found it hard to breathe, their bare legs tangling as one, their hands clasping each other's. She turned away, still scared and ashamed, but he moved closer to her, kissing first her shoulders, and then up her neck until he reached her mouth and then she forgot every emotion she had felt but her love for him.

He pressed his mouth against her breasts, so soft, so delicate; she smiled and rubbed his chest, his muscular ribs always hidden under those black robes and his firm stomach, taut and strong. Again and again, he kissed her until they were drunk with love. And then he looked down at her, asking a question without the need for words, she peered up at him and nodded. He bent the lower half of his body down and entered her body, swift and smooth like a diver to water. She sighed deeply and breathed in the smell around her. No longer conscious of what she was losing; her innocence.

* * *

Hermione wriggled, she opened her eyes again, half of her felt so ashamed and confused the other half quietly proud. But it still left her with two problems; she was probably eight weeks pregnant and the father was sitting in a disused tube station waiting for death. Not the best of situations. But decisions were for the morning, now was for sleeping.

When she woke up Hermione went straight to the wardrobe and got dressed; everyone else was still asleep. She went down to breakfast without Harry and Ron, meeting only a few early risers, most of whom were off to finish any homework they hadn't completed over the weekend. Hermione wasn't. She was going to the Hospital Wing. She would find out what was really going on and then make some decisions.

As soon as Madame Pomfrey moved onto the next ward, Hermione opened the door and sprinted to the cupboard on the wall. She had heard tales about this cupboard from older girls. One side contained plasters and bandages, the other things that only older girls would know about. She put her hand in and pulled out the first thing she saw – Mater Test – easy and quick, she heard footsteps behind her and she ran out of the Hospital Wing to the first toilets she found. Behind Madame Pomfrey shut her cupboard and went to find Professor McGonagall, she really should know if Hermione Granger was taking things out of the cupboard.

Hermione sat on the loo shaking the stick, thirty more seconds and she would know. Twenty. Ten. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. She shut her eyes tight, and eventually summoned the courage to open them. Blue. Positive. She sat still for a moment just to register what was happening, and then she began to sob, raucous wailing sobs, her face reddening. The bell went; she rubbed her eyes and splashed her face with cold water, and walked out of the bathroom.

As she walked down the corridor she remembered what Severus had said to her last night; to tell Dumbledore, but she couldn't now, maybe at lunch when she'd calmed down. And Severus he had a right to know, if he was still alive that was. Harry came running down the corridor after her, closely followed by Ron.

"Where have you been? We've been looking for you everywhere." Harry asked,

"Sorry, I just felt like an early morning walk that's all," she put on a jolly tone and tried to hide her so obviously beetroot face from them.

"Are you alright? Have you been crying? Cos if you don't mind me saying you look dreadful." Ron stared at her,

"I'm fine, honest, come on, what have we got next?"

They went to Charms together and chose a bench right at the back. Ron was staring out the window so Harry passed Hermione a note under the table.

_What's wrong? Please tell me :)_

She looked at him, his eyes had a worried eagerness in them,

_I don't want to talk about it_

_Not even to me?_

_No_

_Please, Hermione tell me what's worng, is it Snape?_

_Kind of_

_Well what then?_

_It doen't matter_

_Really?_

_I think I might…_

_What?_

_I think I might have to tell Dumbledore, he really wanted me to_

Harry frowned and weighed up the situation in his mind, he was sure that wasn't what was really bothering her, but t was still something important.

_Maybe_

"So Mr Potter, what would be the effect of the Fugete Charm?"

**A/N: Naughty girl aren't I? This is so not going to stay PG-13. Oh well. None of you lot mind do you? Don't worry, the plot's going to go somewhere next chapter, just needed some questions answering really didn't you? So now we know… :D**

**You're perfectly entitled to your own views, I'm well aware some will think that that was a load of dirty crap, but hey. Share your views with me please.**


	24. Rash Decisions

**A/N: Hello, I got quite few reviews for my last chapter, and no hate mail! Not bad for my first attempt at writing sex. Anyway, I'm afraid it's another 'in-between' chapter, but the next one will be very exciting (I hope!)  
****DemonofDoom: I'm sorry I didn't mean **_you_** like cliffhangers, but **_I_** do (me, the author, Wacko the Sane), I wasn't saying anything against you.  
****PinkAphid: well I definitely know what you think lol  
****Witchintraining: do I want to know? Probably not and if I did, a/n + reviews are not the place to have this conversation!  
****Natsuyori: evil Ron:D**

**Rash Decisions**

"Miss Granger? You wish to tell me something?" Hermione was standing outside Dumbledore's office, looking in from the open doorway, she nodded, "Well, you'd better come in then,"

He signalled to a chair in front of his desk and offered her a wine gum from a large gold bowl on the desk. She politely refused, remembering too well an event in which her Muggle friends had dared her to put as many in her mouth as she could. Never again, she had vowed, would she eat wine gums. She sat down, suddenly very aware of the hundreds of faces staring down at her from the walls.

"So what is it you wish to tell me?" Dumbledore leant forward, pressing his fingertips together, peering at her with his sparkling blue eyes over the half-moon glasses. She found it quite intimidating and had to look at the bowl of wine gums rather than Dumbledore to stay calm.

"It's about Sev… I mean Professor Snape. Sir, I think I know where he is, and the others."

"I assure you Miss Granger, that we are doing are our very best, we don't need you to help with this kind of work; it's too dangerous."

"Yes, I know, but I've found some things out, and I've spoken to him." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly but his expression remained the same, he gestured to her to continue. "I…we think that they are in a disused part of the London underground, near Fenchurch Street Station, Dolohov's got this kind of 'store' where he puts them all, dead and alive, it sounds like the dead are piled into the channel where the tracks are and the alive lie on the platform waiting for their turn. Severus said they'd killed Diggle."

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a second, Hermione knew he and Diggle had been good friends, his death would have come as a shock to him. Not unlike Alastor Moody's. Dumbledore blinked several times and spoke to her, "Thank you Miss Granger, it seems you have been very well informed here, but perhaps you should have come to me earlier though."

"Harry and Ron, Sir, they didn't want to. I don't think they trusted you after you couldn't protect their families. It was Severus; a few days ago, he said I had to tell you. I think he was genuinely scared." She looked down, "I'm sorry Professor, I know I should have come sooner,"

"It's alright now, you've told me and I can follow up a few things, you've done a lot more work than the Order has for the past few weeks. Perhaps I should consider employing you." He smiled at her, "Now Hermione I think this is quite enough worrying on your part, we can deal with the rest, thank you."

"Sir? So you mean we can't do anything? The Order's going to do it all?"

"I think you have had quite enough adventures, and besides this is far too dangerous."

"Harry's defeated Voldemort five times; we've done so much; this wouldn't be too hard."

Dumbledore rose out of his chair and suddenly began stern, "I'm not letting you take rash decisions again; you have taken enough fatal risks recently. You are not to go anywhere, do you understand? I can't have three under-age wizards sneaking off to London to put other people's lives in jeopardy – again."

He sat down and sighed, "I'm sorry Hermione, I just can't let you, promise me you won't go after them; you are not the only person who cares about these people. We have professional, fully-trained adults working on it."

"But they couldn't work out what we found could they?" she muttered,

"Thank you Miss Granger, now is there anything else you would like to tell me?"

Hermione head began to spin, conflicting emotions spiralling everywhere; Harry and Ron's faces, Severus stranded, starving to death, their baby, that little life growing inside her, "No, Professor, there isn't anything. Goodbye,"

"Goodbye Hermione, and remember what I said."

She walked out of his office and went down the spiral staircase. She got off at the bottom and shrieked suddenly, she pummelled her fists on the walls of the corridor. If Dumbledore wasn't going to let them do anything then he had another thought coming. It only strengthened her desire to rescue them.

* * *

"Bloody bastard!" Ron exclaimed after Hermione had told them what happened, "we did all his research and now we're not allowed to do anything?"

"Well, I suppose he doesn't want anyone to get hurt again, but we did come up with all the information, they ought to allow us to do _something_." Harry weighed up the situation,

"I don't know about you but we need to do something and soon," they nodded in answer to Hermione, Ginny came out from behind a chair.

"Sorry guys, I just wanted to know what was going on; you've been leaving me out a lot recently."

"I wonder why?" muttered Ron,

"Shut up Ron," Hermione poked him, "so, when? How?"

Harry thought silently for a few minutes, "How much longer will they last?"

"A few weeks at the most," whispered Hermione,

"This weekend? How does that sound?" Harry looked at them all,

"OK," Hermione answered defiantly,

"I'll do it," Ginny nodded, all eyes turned upon Ron.

"Alright, this just better work."

"That settles it," said Harry, "we just need a plan of action now, oh and we need to find out exactly were we're going."

"This weekend? We're going to bring them back," smiled Hermione, absentmindedly looking down at her belly. Then she could decide; with him.

**A/N: Well, I'm afraid you'll have to wait for the next action-packed instalment (I'm away until the 21st, you'll get it then). Just leave you to imagine what's going to happen next. Screws tightening, hope you enjoyed it. :D**


	25. Unknown Territory

**A/N: Hello! First things first – Happy Birthday hahaha-evil and WhirlyBlue! That's cool you both have the same birthdays. So here's my present to you both, whether it's worthy of that I don't know.  
****So this has pushed time up a bit. But hopefully you should be able to work out what they did in the days in between.**

**Unknown Territory**

Hermione looked once more at the map in the pockets of her robes, she was flying a rickety old broom they'd found by Hagrid's hut, and she had a funny feeling that it was not a normal broom. The four of them had set of from Hogwarts after dinner, the night sky had been very cloudy for the whole journey and they were hidden from sight. The only problem with all the clouds was that they kept getting lost, luckily Harry, thinking ahead had got them all maps. Hermione saw a flash of ginger hair below her and leant forwards slightly on her broom, Ron grabbed it by the tail as she zoomed off out of control.

"Hermione!"

"Oh thanks Ron," she arranged her robes, "Whose idea was this anyway? I can't fly to save my life,"

"It's not your life we're saving." Harry flew out of dark cloud, his robes damp from the light rain that was beginning to drizzle from the clouds above them, "Come on, hurry up, have either of you seen Ginny?" they shook their heads. Harry sighed and disappeared again leaving only a shout behind him, "Find out where we are you two, and wait for me above that pole."

He flew off, leaving them alone over a moor area, they could make out seven villages dotted around the edge on sloping hills, acres of desolate farmland lay in the middle, and a miserable fog was lain over the fields. A tall telephone mast stood by one of the villages, flashing a small red light every few seconds.

"Great, we have no idea where we are, and yes look, it's starting to pour," Ron grumbled.

"Come on, look on the map, I think we're somewhere west of London, here," she pointed to somewhere on the map, Ron glanced down but before he could look both Hermione and the map went spiralling out of sight.

Hermione screamed, holding on to her broom as tightly as she could, the map would have to go. She leant back and the broom steadied, looking back Ron was only a small speck in the distance, wavering in the strengthening wind. She felt a hand across her back and was about to scream again when she saw it was Harry; he pulled her onto the Firebolt and flew upwards, she held her broom in one hand and clasped onto Harry's robes with the other.

"Sorry Harry, I got taken by a big gust of wind, you know I can't fly very well. But I found out where we are," she settled herself back on her own broom and he passed her his map, she pointed to the area. Ron flew over to them, closely followed by Ginny who was extremely wet.

"OK, we're all here now, we just need to fly a little to our left and there should be a big road, we just follow that and it'll take us straight to London. Now can you please stop fooling around?" Harry led them to the road and they flew silently over it, reaching London half an hour later. Hermione looked at her watch, it was two in the morning; they might make it. The Tower of London came into sight, with its many towers and high walls, they knew they were near.

They flew down into a small park; all was silent except for a few animals scuttling along the drains. They were almost invisible in their dark robes as they walked quietly along the road. "If you see anyone just pretend to be drunk or something," muttered Harry. Under the blare of an orange street light a man staggered towards them, he held a bottle between his gnarled hands and was singing incessantly, Hermione looked down, aware of his stare.

"Which one of you was it then?" he pointed a finger at Harry and Ron, "Who knocked her up?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, sorry," Harry looked puzzled, but continued to walk on.

"She's at least two months gone if you ask me, good luck to you girl," he waved at Hermione and wobbled off leaving the other three standing around her, staring.

"What was that about?" asked Ginny,

"I don't know, I never met him before." Hermione muttered, was it that obvious she thought? Was she showing already?

"This way," Harry pointed and led them down a dark street. He looked at Hermione, who was scurrying ahead, her hand brushed against her abdomen and she held it there for a second, before looking around herself anxiously. What was she doing? That old man seemed to think she was pregnant, but that was stupid, or was it? He put it to the back of his mind for the moment and concentrated on the task ahead.

As they got to the doors of the station Harry pulled his Invisibility Cloak out of his robes, they squeezed under it, clasping their brooms. "I think we're getting too big for this," muttered Ron as he found Ginny's elbow stuck under his armpit. They performed an unusual sort of salsa from the door across the hall, avoiding the cleaners. Eventually they reached a flight of stairs that led down to the Tube, carefully they went down the stairs a step at a time until they reached the platform. They walked to the end and threw the Cloak off; they clambered onto their brooms and flew down the tunnel.

"Lumos." They each whispered, holding their wands out in front of them, silently they glided through the tunnel which was lit slightly by very dim lights along the bottom of the walls, until they reached a large sign.

_Closed due to disrepair. Please follow diversion signs_

They pushed passed the sign and continued down another tunnel, this one was completely dark and Hermione could hear scuttling creatures below her, seeing a pair of luminous eyes more than once. There was a rising smell, a rotting smell that seemed to be getting closer, she thought she heard voices and could make out a very dim light at the end of the tunnel. They slowed down and as they approached she looked down and saw enough to give her nightmares for a very long time.

Piles of corpses were rotting in the tunnel. Men, women and children. Muggles, Squibs and Wizards. Half-eaten faces. Skinless bones. Flies and rats. Behind her she heard three gulps and sharp intakes of breath. As they got closer they bodies became fresher, and towards the mouth of the tunnel lay a wizard they all knew, his gnarled wooden leg lay beside him, and his electric blue eye was still spinning wilding in its socket. Alastor Moody's body lay with the many others who had died trying to face this evil, they may have been different in life, but they all faced the long dark eternity of this tunnel.

Along the platform there were a few shapes, scattered out, these people were alive, but they were shivering wrecks, huddling inside their clothes, their heads down. Hermione's eyes scanned the platform frantically, her heart racing. A way up the platform she spotted a man hunched over something, his dark robes drawn around him and his black hair not quite hiding his pale face. He looked up.

**A/N: That was hard. On me and you. I'm afraid I'm just so terrible at getting to the point. Oh well. Something's definitely going to happen in the next chapter.  
****By the way, should I change the genre? Cos this is currently Romance/Angst, I mean the romance is obvious but maybe not the angst? I don't know, anyone? Until the next time…**


	26. Mothers of the Disappeared

**A/N: Got quite a few reviews for the last chapter, but again I have failed to get any big action into this, maybe it doesn't deserve to be part of the action genre ;)  
****But there is something going on and I don't want to keep you from reading it so I'm just going to write a lovely long note to all my reviewers!  
****Momsangel: You're not going to like the ending ;)  
****DemonofDoom: I always keep writing, well most of the time  
****Witchintraining: tense, suspense, maybe I should actually have some action sometime.  
****DarkSarcasm: yeh sorry about the description I can really get into things sometimes  
****Mysticalfairy-05: welcome back :)  
****GryffindorBabex13: Hello, thank you very much for your kind comments :D  
****PinkAphid: you're right  
****SaintEmo: here you are  
****Natsuyori: How do you know it was him? ;)  
****K: The end? Umm hadn't thought about that one  
****Gwen: Yay to you!  
****Rockonman: I'll read your story, of course :)**

**Mothers of the Disappeared**

She dismounted her broom and started to run, ignoring Harry's frantic whispers, she saw a few people look up as she ran, their faces bewildered and frightened. She was quickening her pace, running faster than she'd ever run before. He stood up, looking both confused and angry; she ran to him and pulled him into her arms, squeezing his frail body tight against hers. It struck her how weak he felt, so fragile she thought he might break. She looked up at him and planted a delicate kiss on his pale face, suddenly flooding his parched skin with colour. He held onto her face, stroking it gently and put his forehead against hers.

"Why have you come?" he rasped,

"For you, we've come to take you home Severus, it's going to be alright."

"I told you not to come; I told you it was too dangerous, look around Hermione. Is this a place for a bunch of teenagers to come and do some hero practise in? Go home, you can't do anything for us, some things cannot be undone." He pushed her away, "Go. These people have sacrificed themselves so that you may live, they couldn't have wanted to die in vain. Please, just go. Soon the Death Eaters will come back, at dawn, and then you will suffer them. Please, leave me and go, you have a future."

"I have no future without you. Severus there's something I need to tell you." She looked into his eyes. Harry, Ron and Ginny came up behind her.

"Right then, we need to sort this out." Harry looked around him,

"Harry? Ron? Hermione? Ginny darling, is that you?" Mrs Weasley sat leaning against the curved wall, she was barely recognisable; dirty, thin and cold. She slowly got up as if she was using her legs for the first time she hobbled over to them, touching each of their faces with her cold hands. Hermione saw tears begin to fall from Ron's eyes; Mrs Weasley grabbed her children and held them tightly against her bosom, unable to speak. Harry looked at his watch and then at Snape.

"The Death Eaters, where do they come in from?" Snape pointed to a staircase off the platform.

"There's a door at the end," he said, "but it's locked, I've tried more complex spells than you will ever know, there's no getting out."

"Harry? Do you think it could need a password in Parseltongue? I mean they've done that before," Hermione wondered,

"That was in different circumstances, and besides none of the Death Eaters are Parselmouths, only the Dark Lord himself." Snape remained pessimistic.

"Anything's worth a try though Severus, Harry just try something, anything."

Harry walked up the steps, past other weary faces that were beginning to pay attention to what was going on around them. Harry reached top of the stairs and found the door. He'd never seen anything like it before in the Muggle world; it was black, very black. So dark that no matter how bright the light of his wand was, the light just fell around it, it couldn't penetrate it. But Harry was stronger than that.

"Open," he said, except that it was not his voice that said it, but a low hiss. The door remained the same.

"Open up!" the door remained the same.

"Open!" the door remained the same.

Harry cursed under his breath, but he hadn't given up yet. He took Sirius' knife from his pocket and drew each blade in turn trying to open the door, but he was without success. He returned to the platform.

Snape had his arm around Hermione's waist, he kissed the top of her head, he knew that if Harry couldn't get out none of them stood a chance; as soon as the Death Eaters came back they would all be for it. He couldn't bear to lose Hermione again, "What did you want to tell me?" he whispered in her ear,

"Not now, soon, I promise." She turned to face Harry, "well?"

"It didn't work, we can fly back, but they can't get out, we're stuck, unless we can slip past the Death Eaters."

"Not like that's ever going to happen," Ron muttered,

Ginny looked at her mother, "Mum, where's Dad?"

"I don't know sweetheart, I don't know." Mrs Weasley let another tear drip down her face.

"Harry?" A tall pinched woman stood behind him,

"Aunt Petunia!" Harry nodded at her, they knew he wouldn't embrace her, but you could see in his eyes he felt a whole lot better, Dudley came over; it seemed that a few weeks here had done him some good, he was no longer waddling quite so much.

"I need time to think," Harry decided,

"They'll come back at dawn, I guess a few minutes won't hurt," Snape drawled sarcastically. Harry sat down with a look of deep concentration, Ron and Ginny began to talk avidly to their mother and Snape led Hermione aside. "Well?"

"Severus, this will come as a bit of a shock, please don't be angry." She looked down, suddenly so ashamed,

"What is it?" he softened his tone and kissed her neck gently.

"Oh Severus, you remember that night? Christmas eve."

"How could I forget?"

"Well I think that night…I…we …something happened, and now, now, I think Severus, please don't be angry, I think I'm pregnant." She got so quiet the last few words were barely a whisper, but he looked like someone had just shoved a battering ram in his ribs.

"Wh…Wh….What?" his voice wavered,

"I'm so sorry," she looked down, "I'll get rid of it, I could get an abortion, and then we could carry on as normal."

"Hermione, it's not you that should be sorry, it's me," he held her hands in front of her, "you're so young, I lost control of myself, I've destroyed your childhood."

"I'm hardly a child,"

"But you're so much younger than me, you're seventeen. This was all my fault." His lips tightened,

"Look as soon as we get out of here I'll have an abortion; we don't have to live with it,"

"Hermione, how do we know we'll get out of here alive?"

"Believe it, we will, Harry will."

"You can't kill our, our baby," his eyes suddenly became deeper than the tunnel they were in, "our child, you can't kill it."

"But there is no other way,"

"Let's think about this if we can stay alive for the next few hours, please," they walked over to Harry.

"OK," he said I think I've got an idea, I just hope it's going to work."

"You can hope all you want Potter, it's not going to save you now." A drawling voice echoed across the platform.

**A/N: Oooh, suspense, sorry, _another_ cliff-hanger! But if you're worried about the outcome of this fic just go back to the beginning of chapter 1, that should reassure you. Hope you liked it.**


	27. Something Understood

**A/N: So no-one likes cliff-hangers then? Hmm, I should have guessed that by now! Can't think of much else to say really, except that I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I spent 4 hours turning my feet into ice-blocks, fun fun fun!**

**Something Understood**

They span around to face the Death Eaters, the prominent three had removed their hoods and Hermione was able to see quite clearly the faces of Bellatrix Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov and Lucius Malfoy, who looked slightly paler and gaunter, but more or less exactly the same as when she had last seen him; clearly Azkaban was not much of a problem anymore.

"Oh dear you have got yourselves into a little tight spot!" Bellatrix cackled with glee, "thought you'd be able to just march in here did you Potter? Thought no-one would notice?"

The other Death Eaters laughed and Dolohov stepped forward, "Severus, you have been so very useful, my old friend."

"Kill me now then Dolohov! If that was all you ever wanted me for." Snape stood in front of the others shielding them from the Death Eaters, he clung to Hermione hand behind his back, and she could feel his palms beginning to sweat with fear. Perhaps he wasn't as cold as he appeared.

"Severus, what does he mean?" she looked at him, and then at Dolohov.

"Oh Severus, this must be your Mudblood bunny, don't you think she ought to know what's been going on?"

Everyone looked at Snape. His lips tightened. "They knew you were coming here," he said, "They knew that you knew where we were." Understanding began to fall upon their faces. Ron stared at him.

"I always knew you were a lying rat! You double-crossed your own double-crossed self! You are a dirty piece of filth, sliming your way all over Hermione –"

"Ron!" she gasped,

"- and now you've given us up to them, I bet you're having a great time." Ron leapt at Snape, but Hermione grabbed him just in time.

"Ron, no! Please, just leave him; there must have been a mistake."

"No Hermione, I told them everything you told me. I deserve death." Dolohov smiled at him,

"Always were the one to make a show of it weren't you?" he chuckled,

"You see," said Lucius Malfoy, "what's he's forgotten to tell you was that we gave him Veritaserum, stupid fool keeps a bottle in his pocket. We knew he'd been talking through that watch, but we allowed it to continue and gathered our information most easily. He obviously doesn't want to die with everyone thinking he was a fool, too late Severus Snape, your time on this Earth has ended. _Avada_ – "

"NO!" Hermione screamed, Malfoy stopped mid-word to look at her, but it gave Harry, Ron and Ginny enough time to stun the Death Eaters, they may not have been the best stunners but it gave them a couple of minutes at the least. Harry bolted up the stairs.

"It's open!" he bellowed, "There's a way out! Everyone, get out now!"

Hermione and Ron quickly began to gather the other people on the platform, many of whom were innocent Muggles who were quivering in shock, a few feeble Wizards offered to stay and help but they were all pushed to the stairway. Harry came running back and they watched the line of prisoners begin to trail up the staircase. From the top of the stairs came a terrifying voice, it rang out like a bell in deep incantations, within seconds all of those on the stairs were dead. The bodies cascaded to the floor in a ripple leaving Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Snape, Mrs Weasley, Dudley, Aunt Petunia and a few bleary-eyed Death Eaters standing, shell-shocked.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." Hermione whimpered, burying her face into Snape's chest. Ginny closed her eyes and hugged her mother, Ron and Harry looked at each other. Hermione's red face appeared, "It's him."

Lord Voldemort descended the stairs, shrouded in a black cloak, his white face was just visible and his scarlet serpentine eyes glistened with anticipation. Harry clutched his forehead, feeling his scar white-hot, and Snape's hand reached to his right forearm where the Dark Mark glowed painfully. Hermione looked down at it, she had never really noticed it before; he always wore long sleeves and even if he wasn't she felt sure he was hiding something. He saw her looking and quickly covered it up.

"Too long have I waited for this," Voldemort hissed, his Death Eaters began to gather around them, closing in on them. "I only want you Harry; surely you won't mind leaving your dear friends in the capable hands of my helpers." Harry looked up at him and spat in his face. The Death Eaters growled.

"We can do this the easy way Potter, or we can do it the hard way, choose. Either I just kill you now and your friends can face the consequences or you try yet again to fight us off."

"He hasn't failed before now! Why should he this time?" Hermione demanded, standing squaring in front of Voldemort, trying with all her might not to let a single quiver of her fear slip into her voice.

"Move out of my way girl!" Voldemort tried to brush her aside,

"No. I will not leave this place until they come to put me in a coffin."

"There'll be so little left of you darling I don't think a coffin would be appropriate." Bellatrix giggled, "Shall I master?"

"Don't lay a finger on her!" Snape roared, "Hermione move!" Hermione turned back at him and smiled.

"This is what I have to do," she said,

He stared at her, puzzled. Bellatrix smiled at Hermione, "Don't worry," she said, "I don't need to use my fingers." She drew her wand, raising it to face Hermione stood her ground. "Have it your way then. _Avada Kev…_

**A/N: The evilest cliff-hanger yet! I just wish I could see the look on your faces right now! So I can understand if you want to get pissed off with me, but a little more constructive criticism would be more helpful. Until the next time, my minions! ;)**


	28. Sweetest Thing

**A/N: Hello! So I shall resolve the evil cliff-hanger and I promise, not another one today! Must be a first ;)**

**Sweetest Thing**

"Bella! It's _Kedavra _not_ Kevadra_ you stupid woman!" growled Dolohov, "you could at least get _that_ right."

"Bugger," cursed Bellatrix, she scowled at Hermione and Dolohov,

"Come on Bella, that's enough, they don't need to die…yet, expect from the traitor of course," Voldemort chuckled maliciously, "so Harry?"

"Well if your Death Eaters can't even get the killing curse right, it looks like I'm in for an easy ride," Harry sneered,

"I do not appreciate cockiness young man; you ought to respect your elders,"

"Why would I want to respect you? You're a lying murderer." Harry yelled,

"Well I suppose there is that," the Death Eaters around them sniggered at their master's comment, more of the Death Eaters had recovered and they gathered around them in a tighter circle.

Snape pulled Hermione out of Bellatrix's reach and clasped her hand tightly in his. She turned and smiled at him, but slid her hand from his grasp, shaking her head kindly. "It's OK," she promised, "I'm not going to be stupid again," Severus nodded and let go of her hand.

Harry and Voldemort were facing each other, watching each other with grim determination, suddenly Hermione whispered behind them and Voldemort and the Death Eaters fell to the crowd once again, she had cleverly stunned only them. It had been a powerful spell; she could feel the force flowing down her wand.

"Wow Hermione! That was amazing!" Ron exclaimed, "You seriously kicked some ass."

"It was dirty though," noted Harry, "stunning them while their backs were turned."

"They should have been more observant," Snape smirked.

"Right then," said Harry, "are we just going to leave this lot here, get out and shut the door?"

"But all the other people, they're all…dead," they all looked back to the bottom of the stairs where the pile of bodies that had been obliterated by Voldemort lay, Hermione wondered how many were innocent Muggles, whose only crime was to exist while the Death Eaters roamed. Snape squeezed her shoulder.

"Do we want these people to have a proper burial? Look back down the tunnel, those hundreds didn't get one."

"It's what they deserve," whispered Hermione, "it's what they all deserve."

"OK," said Snape, "I could probably get them out of here."

"And then what?" asked Mrs Weasley,

"We could Vanish them," Snape pondered,

"What? But where would the bodies go?" Ron demanded,

"Has Professor McGonagall not told you what happens to Vanished objects?" Snape sneered, they all shook their heads. "When an object is Vanished all you are doing is splitting the bonds between the atoms, making it break up, it's not being 'vanished' it's just being taken apart into bits so small you can't see them, If you knocked a house down, you are just left with the bricks, the house has 'vanished'."

Four comprehending faces nodded, "let's do that then," said Harry, "It's a lot better than lying in a disused tube station."

"It'll take a while, with all these bodies, the Death Eaters might wake up. I want you to all get out now, take anyone who's alive and get out; I'll meet you outside - if I can." He kissed the top of Hermione's head, "whatever happens," he whispered, "don't wait for me if you're in danger, please, I'm the one who got you into this trouble in the first place."

They took their brooms and went up the steps, Mrs Weasley and the Dursleys breathed fresh air for the first time as they came out into the now cloudless night.

Inside Snape began the meticulous task of Vanishing the bodies, soon the platform began to feel less crowded, he cleared the bodies at the bottom of the stairs and the majority of the ones ion the tracks. He wandered around the outskirts of the platform to check he hadn't missed anything. At the opposite end of the platform he saw two bodies slumped against the wall, he paced towards them and looked at them closely. They were Vernon Dursley and Arthur Weasley.

"My god, Arthur!" Snape gasped,

"Sev…Severus," a voice croaked,

"You're alive! We thought you'd gone, and Dursley?"

Harry's Uncle Vernon twisted his end upwards at the sound of his name, he face a pale and his moustache tangled and grimy. Severus helped them up and led them to the stairs. He took one last look around and ascended the staircase. He reached the outside, closing his eyes and breathing in his first breath of clean air. In front of him Arthur and Vernon were being welcomed back by their families. Harry shut the door and Hermione sealed it with a powerful charm.

"Severus, are you OK?" she hugged him tightly, he still had his eyes closed and was breathing in his freedom heavily, she smiled at him and led him away with the others, he opened his eyes, looking at the trees and the stars, hearing the first few birds beginning to emerge. All the sweetest things in life were magnified. There was a faint orange line on the horizon; they knew they had to get back quickly. Harry stuck his wand arm out and the Knight Bus appeared.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus," yawned Stan Shunpike, "hey Ern, look at this, look at 'em all."

"Hogwarts please," muttered Harry, he thrust a few galleons into Stan's hand, "quickly."

"Alrigh', alrigh', we'll try won't we Ern?" Ernie nodded and immediately started engine up again, the group flew into the bus. The Dursleys looked absolutely petrified, their faces ashen as the bus lurched its way to Hogwarts.

Hermione and Snape sat together away from the others, embracing but silent. Half-way through the journey Snape looked down at her and gently touched her abdomen; she smiled at him and held his hand there.

**A/N: Aaaah it's sweet isn't it? That was random, can't think of much else to say, oh well. Hope you thought it was OK.**


	29. The Unforgettable Fire

**A/N: I bet you liked the last ending, I've got another nice one here, the beginning of this chapter is a bit weird, so don't worry I you think so too, I think it was something to do with the music I was listening to. Oh well, thank you for all your lovely reviews, I love you guys! OMG 200 reviews!  
****Pi-nk23star – what's with H.P.U.W.O.R? Sounds random, I'll get back to you with the Latin though. It's something about serving God and doing something or something like that…  
****DemonofDoom – well I certainly got bugged!  
****Autumn92685039 – thank you for the grammar correction, I will check more thoroughly  
****This is for PinkAphid :D – **

**The Unforgettable Fire**

They arrived at Hogwarts just at the crack of dawn; thankfully it was Saturday morning so they would able to catch up on sleep. But now they faced the task of getting six people who were supposed to be dead out of the way before any early riser saw them.

They tip-toed up the steps to the entrance hall, they breathed in the first fresh morning air they'd felt for a long time and watched the sun rise up over the furthest hill of the valley Hogwarts Castle was nestled in, for once there was not a red dawn, but the sky was bathed in a glorious golden light, warming their chilled faces, for a moment as it brushed across her cheek, and she closed her eyes Hermione relaxed. She absorbed the rays into her skin, washing it with a golden sheen. She bent back her head, letting the wind rustle gently through her hair, the rising sun caught the amber on her necklace and it emitted a magnificent beam of pure gold that shone brighter than the sun, she opened her eyes and put her arms around Severus, tears streaming down her face. He gently brushed them away and brought his lips down to hers; he clasped her face in his hands and kissed her. Her eyes shone happily as she poured her radiance back into his flesh.

Out of the corner of his eye Snape saw Vernon Dursley run down the hill from the castle as fast as he would probably ever run, crowing loudly, before he staggered back up, short of breath, chest heaving. Still they kissed on the parapet of the courtyard whilst behind them the families began to embrace each other. Still they kissed, whilst a pair of sparkling blue eyes that had been watching them in the shadows stepped out. Albus Dumbledore looked sternly at Harry for a second but gestured with his arms for them to come to him. Hermione and Severus broke apart, gasping, but ecstatic. They walked hand-in-hand to where Dumbledore was standing at the top of the steps.

"Well what can I say? You disobeyed me, breaking all the rules I set for your safety, but you have returned triumphant. Should I punish you or reward you? Perhaps someone ought to explain what has been going on." Dumbledore stared at each one of them with an unreadable expression. Harry stepped forward.

"Yet again, Professor, it was me. We went to London last night, and found where they were hidden. We were getting everyone out when Voldemort and the Death Eaters came down; he killed many of the people we were trying to save. Hermione stunned them all, it was a pretty powerful spell," he smiled at Hermione who blushed deeply, "and we got out, Professor Snape Vanished most of the dead bodies, and found my uncle and Mr Weasley."

Dumbledore looked straight at Snape, who kept his gaze, determined not to drop it. "Severus, how much did you tell them?" everyone looked at Dumbledore, how did he know?

"Enough for them to realise this shoddy rescue mission was on its way, I don't think there was much else; Hermione didn't say much apart from that she was coming to rescue me." Everyone now looked at Hermione, who cast her head down sheepishly.

"So," Dumbledore asked, "There is a pile of semi-conscious Death Eaters lying on a train platform somewhere in London, able to go back to their business when they wake up?"

Harry shook his head vigorously, "Hermione sealed the door, I thought they might starve to death," he looked hopeful.

"I am afraid no matter how adapt Miss Granger's spell was it is not going to hold back the greatest sorcerer in the world. What spell did you use Miss Granger?"

"_Claude Potestate,_" Hermione muttered, "It won't last a day will it?"

"Don't despair now, you've done a lot, although all those innocent people have died at least you have saved six people from an otherwise equally cruel death. I can alert the other members of the Order to their whereabouts; we might be able to get there before it's too late. But now I think everyone needs a warm bath and a good bed. Mr and Mrs Dursley, Dudley, I can offer you some quarters for today or would you rather go straight home, I can find you an escort?"

"I think we'd rather go home now, please," stuttered Vernon Dursley, he was eyeing the castle up with an air of distaste, he obviously hadn't changed.

"Very good, I'll sort you out in a minute, Molly, Arthur, would you like to stay here, or St. Mungo's, or go home?" Dumbledore looked at the Weasleys.

"I think we'll go and get checked out at St. Mungo's, Arthur doesn't look himself. What should we say to the staff? We're dead!" Mrs Weasley croaked hoarsely.

"Wise decision Molly, I think we could probably get away with saying you were just captured but you escaped." Dumbledore gestured to the Entrance doors, "use the fireplace in the far right corner, there's a pot of Floo Powder just above it."

"Thank you Harry, and Hermione. We'll see you soon Ron, Ginny, don't worry." Mrs Weasley began to walk up the steps, holding her husband upright.

"Ironic isn't it?" said Ron, "That you pretended they had been captured by You-Know-Who so you could hide them from him, and then he does capture them. How can we trust you?"

"What is trust Mr Weasley? Does everybody have to believe in it? I am sorry for the unfortunate circumstances which befell your parents, but I believed I was doing what I did for the best. I should have trusted Miss Granger when she first came to me. But we cannot always be right."

Ron looked puzzled, pondering over Dumbledore's words, until his stomach emitted a large rumble. He looked around awkwardly, Dumbledore smiled, "they'll be starting breakfast in a few minutes; go down to the Great Hall." Ron looked around at the others and bolted up the steps to the Entrance Hall, desperate for nourishment.

Dumbledore turned to Harry, "Go and sleep Harry, or have some breakfast. Come and see me in my office before lunch, I'll talk to you there." Harry nodded understandingly and followed Ron up the steps.

"Severus, perhaps you would like to resume your teaching post?"

Snape looked at Dumbledore and then at Hermione, "I did not expect this Headmaster, I thought you were going to permanently dismiss me."

"Why would I dismiss the best Potions Master Hogwarts has had for 50 years, and I'll never be able to find anyone to fill the Defence Against the Dark Arts post. Please come back Severus, if only to get Infelix out of the staffroom."

Snape smiled, he loved teaching so much, but he also loved, Hermione, could he trust himself to be sensible, this was a school, and a seventeen year old student was carrying his child. He looked at Dumbledore and said, "Should I go to my office now?"

Dumbledore beamed at him, "I'll just go and get rid of Professor Infelix, he wouldn't stay in your quarters though don't worry, he didn't like the feeling of sleeping in a 'dead' man's bed apparently. Are you OK Miss Granger? I understand this has been hard on you. I will allow this relationship to continue, as long as no-one else finds out, there's nothing you want to tell me though?" He watched them both closely.

"No, Professor, we're fine thank you," Hermione said. Dumbledore disappeared into the castle, leaving them alone

"Why didn't you tell him?" Snape demanded.

"Could you?" she turned away, but he caught hold of the hand and pulled her round.

"I'm sorry, but we're going to have to think about it sometime."

"I don't want to; I wish it had never happened, I feel dirty, stained. I know you didn't mean to, I know you love me, but I can't help feeling like this. I'm too young; it'll be born in September. I can't do it Severus…"

"You don't have to, _we_ will."

"I'm not going to be able to hide it very well though am I? I think people might notice me wandering round the school pregnant, and I'm not giving up my seventh year to look after it. And _my parents_! What are they going to do? They don't even know about me and you, they'd disown me, they really would." Her voice began to rise as she became more hysterical.

"Shh…Hermione please, calm down. Look, I'll respect whatever choice you make, but I just want to make sure it's the _right_ choice." He stroked her cheek, "I will always be here for you; I love you,"

She turned back to face him, and looked into his ebony-black eyes, she hesitated for a split-second and then replied, "I love you."

**A/N: OK, so there's something I need you guys to think about. I think this story needs to end, next chapter being the last, I know it's only March in the story, but it would be such an anti-climax to draw it all the way out to the summer. If enough people want I'll do a sequel which will finish with the ending I gave in the first chapter, that'll basically be their choices and the consequences of those choices. So I need some feedback. Please give me your views!**


	30. Ending With Beginning

**A/N: I hope this caters for all your tastes. Thank you to every single one of you, everyone who read this story has played a part. Thank you for all your reviews, whether supportive, helpful, critical or just flames, they've all really helped this story to progress. So without further ado I present to you:**

* * *

**Ending With Beginning**

"Hermione? Well? What do you want to do?" it was the Easter holidays; Hermione was in Snape's private quarters and was sitting in an arm chair. He was bent down beside her, holding her hand whilst she sobbed into his shoulder. Four people had commented that she was getting fat this week. She was three months pregnant and it was really starting to show it. It had all seemed so simple when he'd stood there and told her he would never leave her and that their child would have just as good a life as any other. He'd even offered to let it live in his quarters when it was born, how could she not resist him?

"Severus! It's so hard! People look at you when you walk down corridors, they point and stare and whisper."

"Come on Hermione, it'll be worth it all in the end, you know it will, when we've got that little child in our arms." He put his arms around her and whispered into her ear, "Have you told your parents yet?"

"No! What am I supposed to say? Oh by the way, Mum, Dad, my teacher got me pregnant. I don't think so. They'd kill me."

"Look I told you, you could move in here, or into my flat in London, you're old enough. You don't even have to go home in the summer, you can stay with me. But they ought to know, they'll be grandparents."

"I'll live with you Severus but people will notice –"

"That's all you care about isn't it? What other people think? Well I'm telling you Hermione, one breath of the real world and it won't matter to you what people think, there are so many things that are more important than that." He kissed her gently on the cheek, then on the lips. He swooped down over her chair and pressed his hands against the back of it, just above her shoulders. He kissed her lips again, and she pulled him tighter into her, grabbed hold of his arms, his shoulders, his face. Pulling more desperately for his warmth against he own cold body. He looked down at her and gently unbuttoned her blouse, he bent down and tenderly kissed the rising bump on her belly, she wriggled a little but smiled at him.

* * *

Hermione sat on her bed; she had her wand pointed to her belly and was speaking spell. A concealing spell, she had found it in one of her advanced spellbooks. It distracted the eye away from an object, so if someone looked at it they would immediately find something more interesting and look away, never seeing the object long enough to process it. It was used all around the world for things that Wizards didn't want Muggles to see, why shouldn't she try it on her bump? And it worked; it worked very well, despite needing to be refreshed about once a week. No-one would ever notice that she was five months pregnant.

She went back down to the common room where Harry and Ron were sitting finishing the weekend's homework, they looked up and waved. The atmosphere was so much better now, of course Voldemort was still a threat, but most of his Death Eaters had been captured again thanks to them, only him and few had managed to escape the Order's contingent. But there had not been much action for the last three months. Now all they cared about were the end of year exams.

They were mock NEWTs, so exactly the same as NEWTs but not as serious. They would help predict what grades they might eventually get next year when the pressure was really on. Hermione was working herself to the bone, frantically trying to get every bit of revision done; it was rare to see her not seated in her normal chair pouring over all her text books. She had been thinking about becoming a teacher (not that she would dare tell anyone, especially Ron), perhaps Transfiguration or Charms, but she knew she would need the highest grades to succeed.

* * *

June came and went. Long hours spent toiling over exam papers were soon forgotten by the promise of a good summer. They thought themselves extremely lucky that they weren't taking their real NEWTs until another year, Harry and Ron were close to collapsing by the end, and Hermione was becoming more and more stressed out.

Soon it was the last day of term and all the students and teachers were in the Great Hall, tucking into a delicious feast. Hermione glanced up to the staff table and smiled at Snape, knowing that soon she would be living with him day in day out. She would spend a week with her parents, explaining that she had a boyfriend and they were buying a flat together. She would wait to tell them about the baby, but for how long? It would be so easy just to not tell them, but then what would she do a year from now, it would be almost one year old and she would have left school forever.

* * *

She had packed her trunk and was waiting in the Entrance Hall with Harry and Ron for a Threstral carriage to take them down the station. Snape swooped past, swishing his black robes majestically, he gestured for her to follow him and she obeyed as he led her to an empty classroom.

"Goodbye Hermione, I'll see you soon. I'll meet you at the Order the week after next and we'll go to my flat. It'll be OK, I promise. This is where we belong," he kissed her belly, "here. Here forevermore."

* * *

A loud hiss of steam erupted from the mouth of a scarlet train engine. The Hogwarts Express puffed into Platform 9 ¾ where an expectant crowd of students emerged from the carriages, eager for the long summer holiday. But a few students didn't look so pleased to be back in the Muggle world; Harry Potter prepared himself again for the utter awfulness that was the Dursley family. But his friend Hermione Granger wasn't unhappy because of the lack of homework or exams – normally something she missed during the summer; but for something quite different, something she would never dare let her parents find out about, something she would have to wait weeks for until she regained it.

_The End_

**

* * *

A/N: so there you go. Wrapped up, but open enough for a sequel, which there will be probably next week. I just hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

_**Wacko**_


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